English as a Lingua Franca: Outlines and Considerations

There is no doubt that English today represents the language of globalization. In this light, and considering that non-native speakers of English are currently more than native speakers, this language is quite often distorted by inappropriate use. The theory of a type of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) based on the acceptability of certain grammatical errors by non-native speakers is moving forward at present and underlines how important it is to be linguistically tolerant. I reckon that while this is reasonable on one side, it may be dangerous on the other as the identity of the English language might be at risk. The aim of this paper is to put forward some considerations as for the realization of an ideal ELF which could exist beside the Standard English as an additional language intended specifically for inter-national communication.