2006/03/01 by Jennifer Jenkins · 1,044 citations
Arts and Humanities · Engineering · Social Sciences · #EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning #Engineering #English as a lingua franca #English language #Lingua franca #Linguistics #Multilingual Education and Policy #Pedagogy #Philosophy #Political science #Raising (metalworking) #Second Language Learning and Teaching #Sociology #Standard English #World Englishes
paper · doi:10.2307/40264515
published in TESOL Quarterly 40(1), 157 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2006/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The purpose of this article is to explore recent research into World Englishes (henceforth WEs) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), focusing on its implications for TESOL, and the extent to which it is being taken into account by English language teachers, linguists, and second language acquisition researchers. After a brief introduction comparing the current situation with that of 15 years ago, I look more closely at definitions of WEs and ELF. Then follows an overview of relevant developments in WEs and ELF research during the past 15 years, along with a more detailed discussion of some key research projects and any controversies they have aroused. I then address the implications of WEs/ELF research for TESOL vis-à-vis English language standards and standard English, and the longstanding native versus nonnative teacher debate. Finally, I assess the consensus on WEs and ELF that is emerging both among researchers and between researchers and language teaching professionals. The article concludes by raising a number of questions that remain to be investigated in future research.