"The emergence and recognition of English used as a Lingua Franca (ELF) offers new opportunities for investigating language change and language contact. This timely volume explores the use of English in an academic context and between speakers from a range of language backgrounds. Data examined from the one-million-word English as a Lingua Franca in Academic Settings (ELFA) corpus provides an in-depth account of how speakers use and shape the language through dialogue in intellectually and verbally demanding situations. Social and cognitive perspectives are offered on the form and function of the language as used in situ, including its phraseology and lexis, the negotiation of topics, and the co-construction of comprehension. Finally, the book discusses the implications of ELF for the language professions and suggests a way ahead for the future of ELF teaching and research. Exploring ELF is essential reading for practitioners and researchers involved in ELF and EAP"--