Culture and Identity Through English as a Lingua Franca: Rethinking Concepts and Goals in Intercultural Communication (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781501515880)

The use of English as a global lingua franca has given rise to new challenges and approaches in our understanding of language and communication. One area where ELF (English as a lingua franca) studies, both from an empirical and theoretical orientation, have the potential for significant developments is in our understanding of the relationships between language, culture and identity. ELF challenges traditional assumptions concerning the purposed 'inexorable' link between a language and a culture. Due to the multitude of users and contexts of ELF communication the supposed language, culture and identity correlation, often conceived at the national level, appears simplistic and na?e. However, it is equally na?e to assume that ELF is a culturally and identity neutral form of communication. All communication involves participants, purposes, contexts and histories, none of which are 'neutral'. Thus, we need new approaches to understanding the relationship between language, culture and identity which are able to account for the multifarious and dynamic nature of ELF communication.

Author: Will Baker
ISBN-10: 1501515888
ISBN-13: 9781501515880
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
Language: English
Published: 06/26/2017
Pages: 295
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.93lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.62d