English as a lingua franca

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English as a lingua franca
• A lingua franca is a language that is adopted as a
common language between speakers whose native
languages are different. English has become the lingua
franca in many fields, including business, science,
technology, aviation, entertainment, and diplomacy.

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• But why is English currently the global lingua franca? This
pppt will introduce the concept of a lingua franca and
examine the uses, features, criticisms, and history of
English as a lingua franca (ELF). It will also highlight
some key features of ELF, look at how we can teach
English as a lingua franca, and discuss some of the
current debates and criticisms surrounding ELF.

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Definition of Lingua Franca
• A lingua franca is the chosen shared language spoken
between individuals with different first languages. Lingua
francas are sometimes referred to as 'common languages'
or 'link languages'
• Lingua francas are usually pre-existing languages with a
colonial history (such as English or French), which are
learned by non-native speakers as a foreign language
and then used as a way to communicate with other nonnative speakers. Compared to other language varieties,
such as regional dialects, lingua francas are used much
further afield from their country of origin.
• For example, English is used as a lingua franca across

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• Lingua francas are typically considered functional
languages used as a tool for communication, meaning
they are usually independent of linguistic history and
culture. However, the extent to which English is used as a
lingua franca means this isn't entirely true anymore.

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English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
• The term English as a lingua franca (ELF) describes the
use of English as a shared language for speakers of
different native languages.
• The use of English as a lingua franca is not new. English
has been used as a common language across British
colonies since the late 16th century.
• The reach and extent of ELF have grown rapidly in recent
years and there is currently an increasing amount of
interest from linguists and language teachers in the use
and features of ELF.

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• ELF is typically considered a tool for communication and is
used at a local, national, regional, and international level.
This means a large amount of variation is present within ELF,
and there is no standardised version. There is an ongoing
debate as to whether ELF should be considered a variety of
English or not.
• Some prescriptivists (those who believe there is a right and a
wrong way to speak a language) view ELF simply as
'foreigner speak' or 'bad simple English'. However, many
linguists suggest we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss ELF.
• Barbara Seidlhofer, a key theorist in the field of World
Englishes, stated that:
• “ELF, just like any other natural language, will turn out to vary
and change over time. It doesn't make sense, therefore, to

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• Kirkpatrick, another key theorist in World Englishes,
found that the amount of variation present in ELF
depends on how localised its use is. He suggests that
this is because users of ELF in a local setting (i.e., two
Southeast Asian people communicating in a Southeast
Asian country) are more likely to code-switch and use
nativised norms. This means they are more likely to
share slang, local vocabulary, or localised grammar
and syntax.
• As previously mentioned, English has been used as a
lingua franca in ex-British colonies for years. This use

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English as the global Lingua Franca
• Even though both Mandarin Chinese and Spanish have
more native speakers than English, English is the world's
lingua franca (despite the fact that it is not a particularly
easy language to learn!).

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• The linguist David Crystal stated:
• “A language has traditionally become an international
language for one chief reason: the power of its people.”
• (English as a Global Language, 1997)
• English initially gained its power due to British
colonialism and the expansion of the British Empire.
Colonialism brought English to Africa, South and
Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific
Islands.
• Later, the industrial revolution, the emergence of the

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• Due to globalisation, there has become an increasing
need for a global 'common' language. Today, English is
considered the international language of business,
diplomacy, medicine, science, and more. English is
recognised as an official language in over 67 different
countries and is currently the working language of several
international organisations, such as the United Nations,
The European Union, and The Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN)

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Features of English as a Lingua Franca
• For the past 20 or so years, linguists have been
examining the norms and features of ELF. Although there
is much variety in ELF communication, some shared
features, particularly in terms of word choice, grammar,
and pronunciation, often appear (although not always!).

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According to the University of Southampton, some of these
features include:
• Dropping the 'S' when using the third person singular, e.g., 'she run' instead of 'she
runs’.
• Using the relative pronouns 'who' and 'which' interchangeably.
• Omitting articles, e.g., 'a' and 'the'.
• Using the tag questions 'isn't it?' or 'no?'.
• Using extra prepositions, e.g., 'we have to study about...'
• Using that-clauses instead of infinitive constructions, e.g., 'I want that we go to the
cinema' instead of 'I want to go to the cinema.'
• Explicitness, e.g., saying 'red colour' rather than 'red'.

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What is the Lingua Franca Core?
• The lingua franca core is a list of pronunciation features
deemed crucial to pronounce accurately in order to be
understood on a global scale. Outside of the 'core' are
pronunciation features that can be taught, but are deemed
unnecessary for intelligibility.

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English as a lingua franca examples
• There are numerous examples of English being used as a lingua franca:
• Business: Multinational companies often use English as a common language in
their global operations, even if they are based in non-English-speaking countries.
For example, the Swedish company IKEA uses English internally for communication
across its worldwide locations.
• Science and Academia: English is the primary language of scientific research and
publication. Researchers from different countries often publish their findings in
English to reach the widest possible audience.
• Aviation: English is the standard language for international aviation. Regardless of
their native language, all air traffic controllers and flight crews for international flights
are required to communicate in English.
• Internet and Technology: A large portion of content on the internet is in English,
and many programming languages are based on English vocabulary.

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Learning English as a Lingua Franca
• When teaching English as a second language, it is
important to consider the needs of the students. You may
be surprised to know that speakers of English as a
second language are more likely to use English to
communicate with other non-native English speakers than
with native English speakers.
• This means that being understood is more important than
sounding like a native English speaker.

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• However, there are some aspects of pronunciation that are key to
ensuring students will be able to speak English and be understood
in an ELF setting. We can use Jenkins' lingua franca core to
determine the most important aspects of pronunciation when it
comes to maintaining intelligibility (the ability to be understood).
• Let's take a look at some of those key aspects now:
• Most consonant sounds - the correct pronunciation of consonant
sounds is important in intelligibility.
• Vowel length distinctions - this typically refers to the difference
between short vowels and long vowels, e.g., the vowel length in 'hot'
and 'hoot' change the meaning of the word.
• Nuclear stress - the teaching of word stress can be very important

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English as a Lingua Franca - Key takeaways
• A lingua franca is the chosen common language spoken
between individuals with different first languages.
• The term English as a lingua franca (ELF) describes the use of
English as a common language for speakers of different native
languages.
• There are several contributing factors to why English is the
world's lingua franca, including British colonialism and
imperialism, the USA's prominence as a political and
economical superpower, the internet, and increasing
globalisation.
• Some common features of ELF include omitting articles,
dropping the 'S' at the end of words, the use of tag questions,
such as 'isn't it?' and explicitness.
• Some theorists believe ELF should be taught globally within
language education classrooms, whereas others believe ELF

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Frequently Asked Questions about English as a lingua
franca
• Q. What is a lingua franca?

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• A. A lingua franca is a common language spoken
between people who do not share the same first
language.

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• Q. Why English is a global lingua franca?

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• There are several contributing factors to why English is
the world's lingua franca.
• British colonialism and imperialism spread English
around the world from the 16th to 20th century.
• America's prominence as a political and economical
superpower.
• The internet.

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• Q. Where is English used as a lingua franca?

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• A. English as a lingua franca (ELF) is used all around
the world. The use of ELF is particularly prominent in
former British colonies, such as India and Nigeria.

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• Q. Is English the lingua franca of the world?

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• A. English is currently considered the lingua franca for
business, science, popular culture and technology.

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VIDEO