English as a lingua franca: A threat to multilingualism?

Abstract

In this paper I argue against the widespread assumption that the English language in its role as lingua franca is a serious threat to national languages and to multilingualism. I support this argument by making a distinction between ‘languages for communication’ and ‘languages for identification’. Further support for the stance against one‐sidedly attacking English as a killer language will be drawn from the findings of three research projects currently being carried out at Hamburg University, one on the impact English has on discourse norms in influential genres in other languages; the second one on the nature of interactions in English as a lingua franca; and the third one on so‐called ‘international degree programmes’, in which English is the language of instruction. Finally, I make some tentative suggestions for a new research paradigm for English as a lingua franca.