This book investigates the cultural and intercultural aspects of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Authors discuss how ‘culture’ and the ‘intercultural’ can be understood, theorised and operationalised in ELF, and how the concepts can be integrated into formats of ELF-oriented learning and teaching. The various cultural connotations are also discussed (ideological, political, religious and historical) and whether it is possible to use and/or teach a lingua franca as if it were culturally neutral. The chapters consider the communication and pedagogical implications of the cultural and intercultural dimensions of ELF and offer suggestions for new directions in ELF research, pedagogy and curriculum development.

The contributions collected in this book provide a wide range of perspectives on and prospects for the use of English as a lingua franca (ELF), and explore various contexts where ELF is used predominantly: Academic and research settings as well as teacher and general population education, including pronunciation teaching. The chapters look at ELF data and concerns taking into consideration the areas of phonology, grammar, pragmatics alongside more specific, sociolinguistic ones such as attitudes and identity. The chapters also seek to invoke and provoke further discussion and research on the complex and multifarious forms of the «Englishes» that people are using around the world in their daily encounters in English. Accordingly, most of the studies described in the chapters orient their methodology and discussion to a particular macro- or micro-context of intercultural communication (IC), as the main scope of the exploratory work presented here is not so much the system of ELF, but the pragmatics of communication and its strategies. The specific interest of this volume thus lies in bridging the gap between two distinct areas of scholarship, ELF studies, on the one hand, and IC studies, on the other, and in doing so from a «semiperipherical» European perspective and from a view of ELF as social practice.

This book focuses on the English lingua-franca uses in video-game interactions. The typographic and linguistic deviations from the standard norms are investigated, along with the cooperation strategies and status asymmetries of the participants in the online interactions, and the role of language in creating ideological representations.

A critical examination of the ways in which English is conceptualised for learning, teaching, and assessment in a range of domains, from both social and cognitive perspectives. Researchers and postgraduates working on English in L1 and L2 educational contexts will find it valuable for research and collaboration.

This work investigates the close relationship between language and culture. It explains key concepts such as social context and cultural authenticity, using insights from fields which includes linguistics, sociology, and anthropology.

Collectively, the chapters in this volume make a significant contribution to the emerging paradigm of English as an International Language (EIL) by exploring various aspects of the English language and its pedagogy in the context of the globalization of this language. The volume shows great deal of promise in terms of expanding the paradigm and also establishing new grounds for thinking, research, and practice.

The chapters in this book all address the significance of the relationship between the aims and methods of language teaching and the contexts in which it takes place. Some consider the implications for the ways in which we research language teaching; others present the results of research and development work.