This study investigates the core elements of which constitute the expected standards of ELF in international communities. Quantitatively, two online surveys were conducted with one hundred participants of both Japanese and non-Japanese who are related to international communities; and qualitatively, semi-structured interviews were conveyed with four Japanese U.N. officials.
This study investigates the core elements of which constitute the expected standards of ELF in international communities, in particular, focusing on Japanese proficient ELF speakers. We implement the three phases of field research, adopting a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitatively, two online surveys were conducted with one hundred participants of both Japanese and non-Japanese who are related to international communities; and qualitatively, semi-structured interviews were conveyed with four Japanese U.N. officials. The purpose of the first survey is to investigate the reactions of Japanese users of English to an English speech delivered to an international audience by a Japanese national. The second survey is conducted with non-Japanese informants regarding their perceptions of the former Prime Minister’s speech. The purpose of the second on-line survey is to provide supporting data for the data which was collected from by native Japanese speakers. The interviewees are four Japanese UN officials in UN Headquarters in New York, who have more than ten years’ individual working experience in UN related sections. The results emphasise that pronunciation with L1 identity does not seem to be a major hindrance among proficient ELF speakers in international communities. In contrast, logic is the key issue at work among ELF speakers. In addition, the negotiation of meaning is an indispensable strategy in ELF communication. This study also confirms the importance of good listening and good attitudes as Jenkins (2009) claims that ELF requires mutual negotiation involving efforts and adjustments from all.
