Unit 1. English in the World Part 3. Lingua Franca

"A mistake in written English is still a mistake. This is not about lowering standards, nor is it about issues of national identity. I think it would be a shame if the subject gets clouded over in either of these ways. For others, though, the clouds will surely arrive if the country puts through/thru the idea for enroled/enrolled students being permitted/permited to favour/favor the spellings they deem most colourful/colorful."

Lead in

42. This Part of the Unit is about both: how we can be ethnically recognised through the language we speak and adequate standards. The latter is being increasingly challenged nowadays. In this respect, read the quotation above again and explain it.

43. In a while you are going to listen to a discourse about likely embarrassments that occur in international communication in the medium of English. It seems obvious why communication in English can be a challenge for second-language speakers. Now think of the pitfalls that native, first-language speakers might experience. Consider the assortment of tips below, think whether they are relevant and comment on them.

different levels of proficiency;	different regional varieties of the language;	different accents and pronunciations;	slang and idioms
assumption that the level of non-native speakers is as high as their own;	absence of another foreign language for support;	being fluent does not mean that you are a good communicator;	silence of the partner does not always give consent;

44. First read the list, then listen to a recording and arrange the ideas listed below in the order in which they are presented. Make the markings in your notebooks.

As business becomes increasingly international the command of foreign languages becomes topical.	
Disregard of different levels of language command bars direct communication.	
Without a foreign language you become a minor player.	
One must make allowance for lower language ability of non-natives and should not take their comprehension for granted.	
British business chiefs underestimate the problems of English-based communication.	
Linguistic awareness is best formed through learning foreign languages.	
English is a good tool in economic competitiveness and promotion of own culture.	
British business people must develop awareness that their partners might be less linguistically proficient.	

45. At this point, imagine you meet somebody from business. In that company they use English as a working language. The person makes and receives a lot of international telephone calls. Now he/she shares that once they have to do with counterparts from non-English countries, all goes perfectly well: they comprehend each other from the start and come to terms quickly. Once it's the UK or the USA, they seem to speak different languages. Building on the previous discussions, explain the nature of this misunderstanding and miscommunication.