ELF on a mushroom: the overnight growth in English as a Lingua Franca

In an effort to curtail native-speaker dominance of global English, and in recognition of the growing role of the language among non-native speakers from different first-language backgrounds, some academics have been urging the teaching of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Although at first this proposal seems to offer a plausible alternative to the traditional standard version, it raises both practical and theoretical concerns. Moreover, since neither World English nor nativized local Englishes have yet gained full legitimacy, it is clear that the native-speaker model still has an important role to play, though one modified by new cultural and pedagogical priorities.