The Common European Framework of Reference from the perspective of English as a lingua franca: what we can learn from a focus on language regulation

This paper discusses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in relation to research conducted on English as a lingua franca (ELF). The following aspects will be considered: (a) the native speaker and native language culture foci particularly of the proficiency level descriptors in the CEFR, and why they are conceptually problematic from an ELF perspective, and (b) the ways ELF speakers have been found to regulate language in ELF interaction (e.g., by correcting and commenting on language) and how the regulation can be seen to construct alternative norms for English used in lingua franca settings. The paper seeks answers to McNamara’s (2012) call for articulating the construct of ELF communication in a way that it can act as the focus for the assessment of English. It will be argued that a crucial aspect in reaching this goal is to reconsider some of the fundamental assumptions of language use presented in the CEFR. This includes not only moving beyond native speaker--non-native speaker contacts and the idea of a native speaker target culture, but also moving towards more context-aware assessment criteria, which would be informed by research on language regulatory practices in ELF interaction.