LINGUA FRANCA ENGLISH THROUGH SPACE AND TIME: A SELF-REFLECTIVE ACCOUNT

By Willem de Goei, Lancaster University Ghana, Accra, Ghana

Applying the framework of space and scale (Blommaert, Collins, & Slembrouk, 2005) to my use of English as a lingua franca (ELF), I show in this self-reflective account that the effective use of our linguistic repertoire is highly dependent on context and space and that each particular space brings with it various levels of linguistic and cultural hierarchy exercising influence on language use and identity forming. After considering my development and use of ELF in a European context, I look at my experiences with ELF as a Western nonnative speaker (NNS) and English teacher in Japan, and then I discuss ELF and multilingualism in relation to the MA TESOL programme at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. This article calls on TESOL practitioners to critically reflect on how ELF and multilingualism relate to their own contexts and encourages the creation of communities of practice acknowledging a variety of linguistic repertoires and seeking positive identity forming.

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