Lingua francas are languages used for communication between individuals for whom they are not
the first language. Based on empirical work throughout the individual contributions to this
volume address lingua franca communication from sociolinguistic as well as from conversation
analytic perspectives or place this form of communication within the wider context of foreign
language teaching. The volume as a whole attempts to broaden the traditional view of lingua
francas as languages employed by non-native speakers to serve specific restricted
communicative purposes only. Instead it is demonstrated that lingua francas have gained a
number of varied functions and that they are employed by a heterogeneous group of speakers for
whom they do not always have the same status of a second or foreign language. The papers reveal
intriguing similarities in form across different lingua francas but also point at significant
differences. As a result it is proposed that approaches to teach lingua francas as such need
to be developed on the basis of empirical evidence.
