FROM FORM TO FUNCTION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA AND ITS PEDAGOGICAL IMPERATIVES

Abstract

English is now the most important language for international communication in academia, business, and diplomacy around the world, used by more non-native speakers than native ones. This paper examines English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)—the functional use of English as a shared communication tool between people who speak different first languages. It analyzes ELF's defining characteristics, focusing on its core phonological features (which sounds are essential for mutual understanding) and its pragmatic strategies (how speakers adapt language in real time to ensure clarity). The paper distinguishes ELF from the related World Englishes paradigm, positioning ELF as a distinct sociolinguistic model. A key argument is that ELF fundamentally redefines the ownership of English: the language is no longer the exclusive cultural property of traditional English-speaking nations but becomes a shared, pragmatic resource owned by all its global users. This shift has profound implications. Consequently, the paper synthesizes how this reality necessitates a major paradigm shift in English Language Teaching (ELT). It argues that pedagogical goals must move away from enforcing native-speaker norms and instead prioritize developing learners' strategic competence and communicative resilience for effective interaction in multilingual settings.