ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book considers English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) from a range of perspectives. It also considers how, and how far, ELF is used in the regions, along with how it is regarded within their education systems. The book concerns ELF characteristics and processes. It explores the role of pronunciation in miscommunication, and then turns to the issue of creativity in ELF, grammar, and morphosyntactic variation. The book examines similarities and differences in approaches taken by scholars researching translingual practices and ELF across a range of domains. It is then devoted to one specific domain: ELF in university settings. The book discusses ELF in respect of critical language testing. It also describes a particularly topical issue: migration, and the role of ELF in (mis)communication in immigrant ELF encounters.
