English as a lingua franca the fore. English as a lingua franca English as a lingua franca (ELF) is the use of the English language as "a common means of communication for speakers of different first languages". ELF is also "defined functionally by its use in intercultural communication rather than formally by its reference to native-speaker norms" whereas English as a foreign language aims at meeting native speaker norms and gives prominence to native speaker cultural aspects. While lingua francas have been used for centuries, what makes ELF a novel phenomenon is the extent to which it is used – both functionally and geographically. A
Teaching English as a second or foreign language and ESL (English as a second language, a term typically used in English-speaking countries, and more often referring to the learning than the teaching). Teaching English as a second language (TESL) refers to teaching English to students whose first language is not English, usually offered in a region where English "is" the dominant language and natural English language immersion situations are apt to be "plentiful". The teaching profession has historically used different names for TEFL and TESL; however, the more generic term teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) is increasingly used to describe the profession. Both native speakers