There have been considerable recent demographic shifts in the use of English worldwide. English is now undoubtedly (and particularly) an international lingua franca, a lingua mundi. The sociolinguistic reality of English language use worldwide, and its implications, continue to be hotly contested.

This is one of the first books to provide a detailed and comprehensive account of recent empirical findings in the field of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Cogo and Dewey analyze and interpret their own large corpus of naturally occurring spoken interactions and focus on identifying innovative developments in the pragmatics and lexicogrammar of speakers engaged in ELF talk.

Cogo and Dewey's work makes a substantial contribution to the emerging field of empirical ELF studies. As well as this practical focus, this book looks at both pragmatic and lexicogrammatical issues and highlights their interrelationship. In showcasing the underlying processes involved in the emergence of innovative patterns of language use, this book will be of great interest to advanced students and academics working in applied linguistics, ELF, sociolinguistics, and corpus linguistics.

“This book is a ground-breaking investigation into recent developments in the English language. The data underpinning the book has been rigorously collected and meticulously analysed, and Cogo and Dewey’s wealth of original examples of ELF lexicogrammar and pragmatics will provide an invaluable resource for students and researchers of ELF alike for years to come. Meanwhile, the authors’ penetrating discussions of the processes and motivations involved in ELF communication challenge tired old equations of proficiency with nativeness, and cast important new light on what it means to be proficient in English in our increasingly globalized world.”

Professor Jennifer Jenkins, Chair of Global Englishes and Director of the Centre for Global Englishes, University of Southampton, UK

Contents: Abbreviations \ Introduction \ 1. Researching English in the world \ 2. Investigating lingua franca communication / 3. Patterns of innovation in ELF lexicogrammar \ 4. Underlying motives and processes of change in ELF \ 5. Achieving understanding in ELF: focus on pragmatics \ 6. Supporting meaning: interactional pragmatics \ 7. The theoretical and practical implications of ELF \ Notes \ References \ Author Index \ Subject Index