English as Lingua Franca-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the topic "English as Lingua Franca". Answer: English, as a lingua franca refers to the wide variation of the language which is in the process of constant evolution. It is spread all over with concern for both as well as non- native speakers of English. English is considered as a global language especially in the field of teaching and its use is not limited to international relations or science but has spread to international business, tourism and culture. It is such a dynamic language that it can be used by the teachers to teach the non- native speakers. Thus, English has become the contemporary lingua franca in academic institutions due to its huge practical suppleness (Cogo Pitzl, 2013). It is a surprising fact that although 80% of English speakers in the world are non-native speakers but still they are influenced by the language to a great deal. The countries which are considered to be ruling over the language will not be able to break this number. If the instance of Sri Lanka is considered where Sinhala is the national language, English can be used as a common language by a foreign teacher to interact with the students. English being a universal language is taught in all the schools. ELF refers to the communication or interaction that takes place between the non-native speakers of English. In terms of concept, ELF is totally different from that of English as a foreign language (Seidlhofer, 2013). Apart from using the language in various fields, the non-native speakers of English have brought about certain changes in the linguistic sense. As the language typically marks itself in spoken form, therefore the intonation is an apparent area of diversity. But this subject of English being lingua franca was a controversial and disputed matter for a long time especially in second language acquisition (SLA) and English language teaching (ELT). The reason behind this is the preference of native speakers in these particular sectors. But ELF has always shifted from the typical focus on the native speakers which have affected the concept of English teaching (House, 2013). Many different varieties of English have been proposed as an appropriate model in the field of teaching and learning English as a Lingua Franca or ELF. Four probable varieties of model are given below- It will be one of the conventional native varieties. There will a common core syllabus on the usage of common non-natives There will be a compilation of different models which will provide scope for the learners to use English in a diverse variety It will be a standard international variety If the accent and interest in identity of the teachers are considered then it can be seen that the professional recognition of the English teachers are at stake (Jenkins, 2013). This is because identity is regarded as a prominent characteristic in the collision between various interpretations and meaning. This is just in par with the present scenario where the advocates and the adversaries of ELF refer to linguistic progress in a different way. When the promoters comment in support of the non-native speakers, the other group opine for native speakers. Moreover, accent is a popular component in the creation of linguistic identity References Cogo, A., Pitzl, M. L. (2013). English as a Lingua Franca.International Journal of Applied Linguistics,23(3), 396-396. Seidlhofer, B. (2013).Understanding English as a Lingua Franca-Oxford Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press. House, J. (2013). Developing pragmatic competence in English as a lingua franca: Using discourse markers to express (inter) subjectivity and connectivity.Journal of Pragmatics,59, 57-67. Jenkins, J. (2013).English as a lingua franca in the international university: The politics of academic English language policy. Routledge