Identity and interculturality through English as a lingua franca

Abstract

This paper explores the construction of identity in intercultural communication through English as a lingua franca (ELF). It is argued that ELF provides a valuable lens through which to explore identity due to the huge scale at which ELF communication occurs globally and in the Asian region. ELF research has shown identities constructed and negotiated in a fluid, hybrid and emergent manner in communication across and through a range of scales from the local, to the national and the global. However, at the same time we need to be wary of assuming participants are free to construct any identity they wish and the ascription of identities by others is also a feature of intercultural communication through ELF. The discussion here will focus on the notion of interculturality and identity as an approach which captures this negotiated nature of identity.