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English as a global lingua franca: A threat to multilingual communication and translation?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2012

Juliane House
Juliane House*
Affiliation:
University of Hamburgjhouse@fastmail.fm
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Abstract

In this paper I will look at the controversy surrounding the current status of English in the world. I will consider the question of whether the dominant role of English as a lingua franca (ELF) is a menace to other languages, to multilingual communication and to the profession of translation and interpreting, or whether a positive evaluation of the omnipresence of English as a default means of communication can be justified. I will argue for a compromise position: neither demonizing global English nor welcoming it uncritically. I will support this stance from different perspectives, drawing on my own work on ELF and translation.

Type
Plenary Speeches
Information
Language Teaching , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , July 2014 , pp. 363 - 376
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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