Standardized English:In Times of Change

With the fast-paced globalization and technological development, the world is stepping into the era of informationalism. It is characterized by the advances in computing technology and the global network of telecommunications, in which English is ¡§selected¡¨ as the lingua franca (common communicative language) . Subsequently, the demand for learning English as the second language (ESL) or the foreign language (EFL) keeps growing into the past few decades. English is turning to an international language (EIL) or a global language (EGL) or a world language (EWL). This undoubtedly leads to a series of consequences. These consequences, involving nationality problem, arouse hot controversies among linguists and educators. [Introduction Statements]
People living under this new economic order are pushed to learn this common language. However, in what ways should we learn it? What material should teachers pick up? How will the new English look like? Under what atmosphere should peop...