Abstract Despite the growing interest surrounding the use and role of the first language in the second language classroom, the vast majority of research in the field has been conducted in classrooms where English is taught as a second language in English-speaking countries. Very little research has investigated the role of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in other language learning environments, such as those in which Japanese is learnt as a second language (JSL) in Japan. This paper investigates the purposes for which ELF is employed, and the perspectives of learners from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds on the use of ELF, in the JSL classroom. The findings show that English is employed to varying degrees in relation to proficiency level, and that learners themselves are generally welcoming of this use. The author suggests that learners seek security and comfort in what they already know, with ELF easing the gap between their L1 and their developing Japanese skills.

中文翻译：

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英语作为通用语在日语二语课堂中的运用

摘要 尽管围绕第一语言在第二语言课堂中的使用和作用越来越受到关注，但该领域的绝大多数研究都是在英语国家将英语作为第二语言教授的课堂上进行的。很少有研究调查英语作为通用语言 (ELF) 在其他语言学习环境中的作用，例如在日本学习日语作为第二语言 (JSL) 的环境。本文调查了使用 ELF 的目的，以及来自多语言和多元文化背景的学习者对 JSL 课堂中使用 ELF 的看法。调查结果表明，与熟练程度相关的英语在不同程度上被使用，并且学习者本身普遍欢迎这种使用。