INEP, ENADE

Defining English as an International Language

English as lingua franca (ELF) has traditionally been defined as ‘interactions between members of two or more different linguacultures in English, for none of whom English is the mother tongue’ (HOUSE, 1999: 74). In other words, ELF is the study of the type of language that is used when second language speakers from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds interact. By definition, all first language speakers of English are excluded from the focus of ELF investigations. Jenkins (2006) argues quite strongly that the purpose of ELF research is essentially to document the features of interactions between second language speakers of English and in no way is meant to depict a particular variety of English that should become the standard for second language speakers.

McKay, S. English as an International Language: What It Is and What It Means For Pedagogy. SAGE Journals. January 23, 2018. Available at: Access on: 20 may 2020. Como professor de inglês, a importância de se trabalhar com o ensino de língua inglesa como língua franca é