Definition:
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) refers to the use of English as a shared medium of communication among people who do not share a first language — particularly in interactions where no native speaker of English is present. ELF research examines how non-native speakers actually use English in international contexts, often finding that effective communication does not require conformity to native-speaker norms.
ELF vs. English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
| EFL | ELF |
|---|---|
| Target is native-speaker English | Target is mutual intelligibility |
| Native-speaker norms are the standard | Non-native norms are accepted when they facilitate communication |
| Goal: approximate a native speaker | Goal: communicate effectively across cultures |
| Deficit model: deviation = error | Variation model: deviation = feature |
Key Research Findings
- Many ELF features that deviate from standard English (e.g., omitting third-person singular -s, using who instead of which for things) rarely impede communication
- Native speakers are sometimes less intelligible in ELF interactions because they use idioms, regionalism, and fast speech that non-native speakers don’t share
- ELF speakers show cooperative strategies — frequent checks for understanding, paraphrase, accommodation — that native speakers in EFL contexts often do not
ELF and Language Norms
ELF raises fundamental questions about whose English is the standard. If 80%+ of English communication worldwide occurs between non-native speakers, the argument that learners should target native-speaker phonology, grammar, and pragmatic norms becomes less straightforward.
Criticism
ELF research is sometimes criticised for:
- Being descriptive without providing learners with clear targets
- Underspecifying which features are acceptable
- Being used to justify reduced-quality teaching