English as a Lingua Franca in Japan

"​The perceived superiority of standardized English and native speakers continue to shape people’s beliefs and influence the teaching and learning of English in Japan. This book challenges these enduring ideologies by shedding light on multiple, hybrid, and contingent uses of English as a lingua franca (ELF) from multilingual and translingual perspectives. This unique collection of studies underscores the importance of ELF-oriented dispositions, pedagogies, and policies for genuine communication across difference." --Ryuko Kubota, Professor, Department of Language and Literacy Education, The University of British Columbia, Canada.
 This edited book examines the phenomenon of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in the Japanese context, using multilingualism as a lens through which to explore language practices and attitudes in what is traditionally viewed as a monolingual, monocultural setting. The authors cover a broad spectrum of topics within this theme, including language education policies, the nature of ELF communication in both academic and business settings, users’ and learners’ perceptions of ELF, and the pedagogy to foster ELF-oriented attitudes. Teaching and learning practices are reconsidered from ELF and multilingual perspectives, shifting the focus from the conformity to native-speaker norms to ELF users’ creative use of multilingual resources. This book is a key resource for advancing ELF study and research in Japan, and it will also be of interest to students and scholars studying multilingualism and World Englishes in other global contexts.

Mayu Konakahara is Assistant Professor in the Department of English, Kanda University of International Studies, Japan.
Keiko Tsuchiya is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and International Studies, Yokohama City University, Japan.