English as a foreign languageEnglish as a foreign language n
also EFL
see English as a second language
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) n
a term used to describe the status of English when it is used as a language of
communication between two or more people who do not have English as a
first language. As such it often reflects some characteristics of the speakers’
first language or languages.
see also English as an international language, English as a world
language
English as an international languagen
alsoEIL
a term used to characterize the status of English as the world’s major second
language and the commonest language used for international business, trade,
travel, communication, etc. Like the term World Englishes, the notion of Inter-
national Language recognizes that different norms exist for the use of English
around the world. British, American, Australian or other mother-tongue
varieties of English are not necessarily considered appropriate targets either
for learning or for communication in countries where English is used for cross-
cultural or cross-linguistic communication, for example, when a Brazilian
and a Japanese businessperson use English to negotiate a business contract.
The type of English used on such occasions need not necessarily be based on
native speaker varieties of English but will vary according to the mother
tongue of the people speaking it and the purposes for which it is being used.
English as a second dialect n
also ESD
the role of standard English (see standard variety) for those who speak
other dialects of English.
see also bidialectai, bilingual education
English as a second language n
also ESL
a basic term with several somewhat different definitions. In a loose sense,
English is the second language of anyone who learns it after learning their
first languagein infancy in the home. Using the term this way, no
distinction is made between second language, third language, etc. However,
English as a second languageis often contrasted with English as a foreign
language. Someone who learns English in a formal classroom setting, with
limited or no opportunities for use outside the classroom, in a country in