ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of the present situation of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in the EU and the expanding European context. It views ELF as one of many strategies for solving communicative and sociocultural problems, both on the macro and micro level. The strategies of choosing ELF, other languages in the role of lingua francas, practices oriented toward receptive multilingualism, or translation and interpretation are implemented in the same context, complementing one another. The chapter emphasizes differences between regions and individual national contexts in Europe, particularly in regard to local language constellations and ideologies, as well as the positions of languages/varieties on the labor market. It focuses upon Central and Eastern Europe (former Soviet Bloc countries) where English has replaced German and Russian as lingua francas. The chapter concludes with a brief consideration of the position and management of ELF in light of the increasing Asian presence throughout Europe in the business sphere, higher education and tourism.
