English as a Lingua Franca - by William Crawford & Marcella Caprario (Paperback)

About the Book

"The field of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is concerned with studying the specific characteristics of English when used as the common language in groups of speakers of different languages. In an increasingly globalized world, there are many occasions in which speakers of different languages interact through English -- such as business, politics, education, academic exchange, and social interactions, both online and in-person -- meaning there are many opportunities for researchers to observe the pragmatics of English usage in these situations, the social and political implications of English usage in these contexts, and the degree to which repeated patterns appear in English usage behaviors"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Provides clear and comprehensive guidance to advanced students to perform their own research in the fast-changing field of English as a Lingua Franca

English as a Lingua Franca: Practice and Research serves as a vital means of communication among speakers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, facilitating connections across global domains such as academia, business, and healthcare. English as a Lingua Franca: Practice and Research equips readers with the tools to explore the dynamic phenomenon of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), tracing its history, linguistic characteristics, and societal implications. Assuming no previous background in the field, this accessible textbook provides step-by-step guidance for designing, conducting, and sharing original ELF research.

Structured in two parts, the text first provides a balanced understanding of ELF and highlights its role in promoting intercultural communication and challenging traditional language ideologies. The second part equips readers with the necessary tools to perform ELF research, covering the entire research process from identifying research topics to choosing appropriate methodologies. Reflective questions, activities, and practical tips in each chapter deepen engagement with the material and encourage critical exploration of ELF. The first textbook of its kind to combine foundational concepts, theoretical insights, and hands-on practices in a single volume, English as a Lingua Franca: Practice and Research:

• Provides a framework to explore real-world language use and contribute meaningfully to the field
• Covers corpus analysis, conversation analysis, and narrative inquiry
• Offers practical strategies for selecting topics, structuring research projects, and presenting findings as papers, presentations, or posters
• Discusses the role of ELF in language attitudes, policies, and multilingual communication
• Reflects upon cutting-edge ELF research and future directions for the field

English as a Lingua Franca: Practice and Research is an indispensable resource for students and researchers seeking to navigate this emerging field and engage with its growing community of scholars. It is ideal for advanced undergraduate and master's degree students, as well as linguists and TESOL professionals wanting to conduct research on global language practices.

About the Author

William J. Crawford is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at Northern Arizona University and Director of the Program in Intensive English. His research spans corpus linguistics, second language writing, and task-based language teaching. His recent books include Doing Corpus Linguistics and Teaching Grammar.

Marcella Caprario is an Assistant Professor of TESOL at Wenzhou-Kean University, specializing in Global Englishes, intercultural communication, and pragmatics. Her work has appeared in TESOL Quarterly, Contrastive Pragmatics, and The Language Learning Journal, among others. She also presents regularly at international linguistics and TESOL conferences.