On 27 November, Barbara Seidlhofer, Professor of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Vienna, gave an inspiring 12^th S.M.A.R.T. Lecture at CeMM. In this session, Professor Seidlhofer discussed the topic of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), i.e. the means of communication regarded as the most convenient (and workable) one by speakers from a different first-language background. More often than not, there are no native speakers of English involved in these lingua franca interactions. When it comes to the teaching of English, however, native speakers are still regarded as the `authentic` source of the target language and culture(s), and as the authority deciding what is linguistically acceptable (grammatical, idiomatic) and what is not.

During her thought-provoking talk, Professor Seidlhofer gave examples of how the most widespread and contemporary use of English throughout the world today is that of a Lingua Franca, and how this shapes a new and distinct “corpus” of globalized communication. She discussed the development and challenges of the way English is perceived in contemporary linguistics and in a teaching environment.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Professor Barbara Seidlhofer for the wonderful talk and her expertise with our researchers!

If you missed the lecture, you can now watch the full recording here.

About the CeMM S.M.A.R.T. Lecture series

The S.M.A.R.T. Lecture series, an initiative launched by CeMM, is dedicated to addressing current scientific challenges at the intersection of science and society. These lectures foster an interdisciplinary discourse, encouraging researchers to expand their horizons beyond their own fields and engage in meaningful dialogues with a wider audience. From science and medicine to art, research, and technology, the S.M.A.R.T. Lectures cover a diverse range of topics, promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration.