English as corporate language” in the multilingual reality of multinational companies

Bibliographic Data

ID11294239
AuthorsAnne Kankaanranta (0000-0002-5641-4099, Management studies , Aalto University School of Business , Helsinki , Finland, corresponding author), Päivi Karhunen (0000-0002-2492-510X, Aalto University School of Business , Helsinki , Finland), Leena Louhiala-Salminen (Aalto University School of Business , Helsinki , Finland), Leena Louhiala‐Salminen (Aalto University)
Year2018
Volume37
Issue4
Pages331-351
Publication date2018-06-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMultilingua (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0167-8507 • E-ISSN: 1613-3684
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/multi-2017-0077
OpenAlexW2792579061
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited62

This conceptual paper advances the notion of “English as corporate language” in the multilingual reality of multinational companies (MNC) with novel insights from the English as lingua franca (ELF) paradigm of sociolinguistics. Inspired by Goffman, Erving. 1959. The presentation of self in everyday life . New York: Doubleday. dramaturgical metaphor of social life, we develop the notion of English as corporate language by making a distinction between the frontstage official language used in corporate communication and backstage working language used in interactions among MNC employees. We argue that the former approaches the notion of English as a native language and the latter represents ELF in the business domain (BELF); they are different in terms of understanding language competence, multilingualism and role of language in building legitimacy. Our conclusions imply first, that the frontstage English may not always be accessible to the backstage BELF users, due to which employees may feel disadvantaged or disempowered. Second, the use of formal language testing in recruitment and performance appraisal may transform into a gate-keeping mechanism that leads to power inequalities. In our recommendations, we call for an emancipatory language policy accepting different standards of English for different positions and adopting ideas of the Plain Language initiative to better reach all MNC employees

Comprehension approach · English as a lingua franca · Language education · Language policy · Legitimacy · Lingua franca · Linguistics · Metaphor · Multilingualism · Multinational corporation · Pedagogy · Political science · Sociolinguistics · Sociology · Sociology of language · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching

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