Edinburgh Napier University

  In many studies on English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), the prevailing perspective has primarily focused on ELF as the use of English for communication among speakers who do not share English as their first language. However, recent scholarship has emphasized the significance of intercultural communication within ELF interactions. Despite this development, the predominant focus in both ELF research and pedagogy has remained primarily linguistic in nature. This paper argues for a paradigm shift in our understanding, approach, and teaching of ELF, advocating for its recognition as a form of intercultural interaction.
By drawing on vignettes extracted from ELF interactions in an English Conversation Club at a Thai University, we illustrate how participants from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds engage in intercultural communication while maintaining a commitment to English language accuracy. We delineate the advantages of reorienting our perception of ELF interactions in this manner, underscoring the implications for students, instructors, and researchers alike.