Repair of non‐understanding in English in international communication

ABSTRACT: The international use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) – i.e. between non‐native speakers of different nationalities, in situations where no native English speakers are present – has become an important feature of business, diplomacy, education, and personal relationships around the world. Nowhere is this more true than in Northeast Asia, where cultural, economic, and educational interchanges between Korea, Japan, China, and other countries in the region are increasingly conducted in English. This paper discusses an exploratory study on the use of ELF by a small group of university students in Seoul, South Korea, with a focus on the communication strategies used to repair non‐understanding between the participants. After summarising findings from previous ELF research, the paper outlines the methodology of the current study, which was conducted by videotaping, transcribing, and analysing interactions in the group, comprising one Mongolian and five Korean participants. The study's findings on the participants' use of repair strategies are then discussed; finally, the paper outlines some tentative conclusions from the study and makes recommendations for future research.