A consideration of the nature and use of the language in the EU in terms of Braj Kachru's model of the inner, outer, and expanding circles of world Englishes

Expanding Circle Englishes are gaining in recognition and acceptance. Yet, an analysis of recent issues of leading journals devoted to English in the global context demonstrates that fewer articles get published on the Expanding Circle than the Inner and Outer Circles. One explanation for this difference is simply that less research and scholarship on English in "the rest of the world" has been done. This paper sets out an agenda for WE research and scholarship on the Expanding Circle to address gaps in the literature that will reflect the sociolinguistic reality of English across and within the countries and regions of this circle and to broaden current understanding of the full range of users and uses of this language.

One of the objectives of English as Lingua Franca (ELF) researchers is an account of the unique features of English that they have found in the speech of European users of English. These features, it is argued, describe a variety of English which they label "English as Lingua Franca". The choice of this particular term is problematic because, as a construct, "lingua franca" generally refers to an overarching function of language, not to any specific set of idiosyncratic forms themselves. However, ELF researchers do not make this distinction. This has resulted in considerable attention being given to a confusing use of linguistic terminology and to the assumptions and theoretical underpinnings guiding ELF research. This paper extends this discussion to an examination of the relationship of ELF studies to English in Europe and the adequacy of "lingua franca" to represent the sociolinguistic realities of world Englishes. It first looks at work written by prominent ELF researchers to determine what they mean by "lingua franca", outlines the distinction between form and function with illustrations of the role and status of English in Europe, and discusses how the architect's principle that "form follows function" is relevant to an understanding of the notion "lingua franca".

This paper tests claims concerning the English as Lingua Franca (ELF) movement's position within the world Englishes paradigm. To do so, it considers the writings of Jennifer Jenkins, a leader in this movement, on what she calls "phonological intelligibility", and the writings of Larry Smith, an established scholar on intelligibility in cross-cultural communication. The mutual intelligibility of Expanding Circle users of English is a primary concern to ELF researchers, and Jenkins has identified Smith's work as the foundation for her investigation of core phonological features to use in pronunciation teaching. The paper aims to determine the extent to which Jenkins' theoretical views on intelligibility correspond to Smith's concept of understanding as a central issue in international communication.

In several studies it has been shown that, since the political and economic changes precipitated by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1989, English in the`new' Hungary is in great demand and the number of its uses and users is expanding (e.g. Halasz, 1993;Medgyes, 1993;Petzold, 1994). This paper discusses the functional range of English and its penetration into Hungarian society and shows that in just a few years English has become an essential tool for modernization and economic development and a significant medium in the tourist and entertainment industries as well as education, and that need for the use of English in the workplace has had a major impact on its learning, especially in Budapest. The data is drawn from Petzold's comprehensive study of English in the capital city (1994). The authors offer an account of the sociolinguistic contexts of English in Hungary and provide insights into the reasons why Hungarians regard English proficiency as vital to their country's efforts to catch up with its more prosperous neighbors to the west.