The paper discusses English as a Lingua Franca. Lingua Franca (LF) is the term used when referring to a common language between interlocutors of different native languages, usually of also different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Back in the 14nth century AC, the expansion of trade between people of different ethnicities around the Mediterranean area, led to the creation of a pidgin language, a language with simple grammar and lexicon, which made communication between traders possible. This pidgin language was a mixture of mostly Italian with additions from other languages like French, Spanish, Arabic, Greek and Turkish. Today the term Lingua Franca has expanded to include vehicular languages used around the world used amongst people with different origins and native languages. English is the current, most widespread language to be used as a lingua franca, raising issues of proper definition, effective methods of research, successful teaching and evaluation and respect for the global multicultural environment of the world today.
Table of Contents
1. English as a Lingua Franca
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to explore the role and definition of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in an increasingly globalized world, examining the challenges it poses for linguistic research, language teaching methodologies, and evaluation strategies in multicultural environments.
- Historical development of the term Lingua Franca and its transition to English.
- Distinction between native-speaker interaction and non-native interaction in ELF contexts.
- Overview of major research projects (ELFA, SELF, VOICE) focused on documenting ELF use.
- The necessity of re-evaluating language teaching curricula to prioritize intelligibility over native-like correctness.
- The social and pedagogical implications of ELF for learners and teachers in a globalized society.
Excerpt from the Book
English as a Lingua Franca
Lingua Franca (LF) is the term used when referring to a common language between interlocutors of different native languages, usually of also different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Back in the 14nth century AC, the expansion of trade between people of different ethnicities around the Mediterranean area, led to the creation of a pidgin language, a language with simple grammar and lexicon, which made communication between traders possible. This pidgin language was a mixture of mostly Italian with additions from other languages like French, Spanish, Arabic, Greek and Turkish. Today the term Lingua Franca has expanded to include vehicular languages used around the world used amongst people with different origins and native languages (Brosch 2015:71-85). English is the current, most widespread language to be used as a lingua franca, raising issues of proper definition, effective methods of research, successful teaching and evaluation and respect for the global multicultural environment of the world today.
Following the vast technological progress of the last decades, English has become the most widely spread lingua franca in the world. In the division of English varieties used by people all over the world, countries like the UK, USA, Australia and Canada imposed the language they spoke as settlers but at the same time received influence from the indigenous people of areas the settled to (Kirkpatrick 2010:2). Moving to the outer circle varieties, ELF use was also expanded in India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries in which trade and contact where frequent and local influence was greater due to large numbers of locals which now also use English also as a formal language (Kirkpatrick 2010:2).
Summary of Chapters
1. English as a Lingua Franca: This chapter provides a historical context for the concept of Lingua Franca, analyzes the global spread of English across different geographic circles, and discusses the shift toward prioritizing intelligibility and functional communication in diverse, multicultural settings.
Keywords
English as a Lingua Franca, ELF, Lingua Franca, Linguistic research, Global English, Intelligibility, Language teaching, ELFA, VOICE, SELF, Non-native speakers, Multilingualism, Sociolinguistics, Language proficiency, Communication strategies
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work examines the development and current usage of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), focusing on its impact on global communication and the resulting need for new pedagogical approaches.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include the history of Lingua Franca, the classification of English varieties (inner, outer, and expanding circles), the role of research corpora, and the evolution of language teaching methodologies.
What is the central research question?
The text explores how the widespread use of ELF necessitates a re-evaluation of definitions, research methods, and teaching standards to better serve the needs of non-native speakers.
Which scientific methods are referenced?
The work highlights the importance of data gathering and analysis through large-scale projects like ELFA, SELF, and VOICE, which involve recording and transcribing natural interactions to establish linguistic patterns.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section details the expansion of English, the debate regarding the inclusion of native speakers in ELF interactions, and the implications for curriculum design and teacher training.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Central keywords include Lingua Franca, ELF, global language, intelligibility, pedagogical adaptation, and cross-cultural communication.
How does the author define the role of native speakers in ELF interactions?
The author notes a divide among researchers: some suggest excluding native speakers from ELF interactions, while others, supported by scholars like Jenkins, argue that native speakers should adapt their language to ensure comprehensibility.
What does the text suggest regarding future language teaching?
The text advocates for shifting the focus from "native-like correctness" to "intelligibility," emphasizing that instruction should respect the multicultural context in which non-native speakers function.
How do projects like ELFA and VOICE contribute to the field?
These projects provide empirical evidence by collecting thousands of hours of spoken interaction, allowing researchers to study how language is actually used and regulated in non-native communication environments.
- Quote paper
- Elena Agathokleous (Author), 2018, English as a Lingua Franca, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/995910
