Reimagining Business English Pedagogy through A BELF Lens: A Pragmatics- and Culture-Driven Framework

Authors

  • Hélder Fanha Martins

    Information and Communication Sciences Department, Lisbon Accounting and Business School (ISCAL), Polytechnic University of Lisbon, 1500-003 Lisbon, Portugal

    CETAPS - Centre for English, Translation, and Anglo-Portuguese Studies, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal
  • Maria João Ferro

    Information and Communication Sciences Department, Lisbon Accounting and Business School (ISCAL), Polytechnic University of Lisbon, 1500-003 Lisbon, Portugal

    CETAPS - Centre for English, Translation, and Anglo-Portuguese Studies, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal
  • Ana Sofia Carvalho

    Information and Communication Sciences Department, Lisbon Accounting and Business School (ISCAL), Polytechnic University of Lisbon, 1500-003 Lisbon, Portugal

    CETAPS - Centre for English, Translation, and Anglo-Portuguese Studies, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.10995
Received: 10 July 2025 | Revised: 21 July 2025 | Accepted: 29 July 2025 | Published Online: 27 October 2025

Abstract

English has progressively become the common language of international business, primarily in providing a means of conversation between non-native speakers and their multicultural environments. The response to this phenomenon has been the emergence of Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF), which prioritizes the ability to close communicative gaps through pragmatic enacting clarity, intercultural agility, and strategic competence over achieving native-speaker linguistic accuracy. In spite of BELF’s importance, traditional Business English instructional practices continue to be driven by native-speaker standards, correctness of grammaticality, and standardized assessments, which set learners up for failure in a reality of dynamic and unfolding communication (almost entirely) with international co-workers. This paper offers evidence from current curricula clarifying the lack of pragmatic and intercultural training, and presents a pedagogical framework explicitly grounded in BELF principles. The proposed framework includes explicit methodological instruction on pragmatic behaviors and strategies, cultural and interactional awareness to simulate authentic business experiences, and strategies for tolerating linguistic variation. Practical guidance is provided on assessing pragmatic effectiveness, revising curricula based on key principles, and recreating authentic materials for pedagogical purposes. Recognizing institutional and teacher-related challenges, it also outlines practical solutions for overcoming resistance through targeted professional development and stakeholder engagement. The contributions of this paper recommend moving beyond communicative competence, reframing proficiency levels, and connecting pedagogical practice to the realities of communicating in global business, while making a significant impact on professional competence and student readiness to communicate in global contexts.

Keywords:

Business English; Lingua Franca; BELF; Pragmatic Competence; Intercultural Communication; ESP Pedagogy; Global Workplace; Curriculum Development

References

[1] Kurniawan, I.W.A., 2024. English Language and Its Importance as Global Communication. International Journal of Social Studies. 2(1), 51–57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25078/ijoss.v2i1.3920

[2] Kankaanranta, A., Louhiala-Salminen, L., 2020. ELF in the domain of business—BELF: What does the B stand for? In: Jenkins, J., Baker, W., Dewey, M. (eds.). The Routledge handbook of English as a lingua franca. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 309–320.

[3] Nickerson, C., 2015. The death of the non-native speaker? English as a lingua franca in business communication: A research agenda. Language Teaching. 48(3), 390–404. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444815000129

[4] Louhiala-Salminen, L., Charles, M., Kankaanranta, A., 2005. English as a lingua franca in Nordic corporate mergers: Two case companies. English for Specific Purposes. 24(4), 401–421. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2005.02.003

[5] Nair-Venugopal, S., 2018. Issues of language and competence in intercultural business contexts. Language and Intercultural Communication. 15(1), 29–45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2014.985304

[6] Louhiala-Salminen, L., Kankaanranta, A., 2011. Professional communication in a global Business context: The notion of global communicative competence. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. 54(3), 244–262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2011.2161844

[7] Peltonen, L., Ning, Z., 2025. Expressing the Home Culture in English as a Business Lingua Franca: A Glocalized Pedagogy. In: Wright, N. (eds.). Glocalising Approaches to Learning and Teaching English: Voices from Periphery. Springer Nature: Cham, Switzerland. pp. 103–124.

[8] Kankaanranta, A., 2023. Commentary on Louhiala-Salminen et al. (2005): Launching the notion of BELF. English for Specific Purposes. 71, 146–149. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2023.04.003

[9] Jodaei, H., 2021. Native Speaker Norms and Teaching English to Non-Natives: History and Research. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 9(3), 1–14.

[10] Chan, C.S.C., 2019. Long-term workplace communication needs of business professionals: Stories from Hong Kong senior executives and their implications for ESP and higher education. English for Specific Purposes. 56, 68–84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2019.07.003

[11] Gimenez, J., 2023. Integrating multi-communication research and the Business English class. English for Specific Purposes. 71, 87–89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2023.02.008

[12] Chan, C.S.C., 2021. Helping university students discover their workplace communication needs: An eclectic and interdisciplinary approach to facilitating on-the-job learning of workplace communication. English for Specific Purposes. 64, 55–71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2021.07.002

[13] Cogo, A., Yanaprasart, P., 2018. English as a lingua franca: Implications for language teaching and teacher education. In: Houghton, S.A., Hashimoto, K. (eds.). Towards post-native-speakerism: Dynamics and shifts. Springer: London, UK. pp. 123–142.

[14] Schnurr, S., 2024. Exploring professional communication: Language in action. Routledge: London, UK.

[15] Hyland, K., 2022. English for Specific Purposes: What is it and where is it taking us? ESP Today. 10(2), 202–220. https://doi.org/10.18485/esptoday.2022.10.2.1

[16] Basturkmen, H., 2021. ESP research directions: Enduring and emerging lines of inquiry. Language Teaching Research Quarterly. 23, 5–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2021.23.02

[17] Jenks, C.J., 2024. Intercultural communication, world Englishes, and interculturality. World Englishes. 1–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12718

[18] Martins, H.F., 2017. Perspectives on business English as a lingua franca in business communication. Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies. 2(5), 61–67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20170205.11

[19] Jenkins, J., 2007. English as a lingua franca: Attitude and identity. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

[20] Dewey, M., 2012. Towards a post-normative approach: Learning the pedagogy of ELF. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca. 1(1), 141–170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2012-0007

[21] Harding, L., McNamara, T., 2017. Language assessment: The challenge of ELF. In: Jenkins, J., Baker, W., Dewey, M. (eds.). The Routledge handbook of English as a lingua franca. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 570–582.

[22] Ehrenreich, S., 2018. Communities of practice and English as a lingua franca. In: Jenkins, J., Baker, W., Dewey, M. (eds.). The Routledge handbook of English as a lingua franca. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 37–50.

[23] Choi, K., 2023. Analyzing pedagogic strategies to incorporate global Englishes into the teaching of young EFL learners. Studies in English Education. 28(1), 1–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22275/see.28.1.01

[24] Jenkins, J., 2000. The phonology of English as an international language. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

[25] Seidlhofer, B., 2011. Understanding English as a lingua franca. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

[26] Mauranen, A., Ranta, E., 2009. English as a lingua franca: Studies and findings. Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

[27] Bakhtiyarovna, K.A., 2024. Intercultural Communication And Misunderstandings In Pragmatics. Eurasian Journal of Academic Research. 4(4–1), 87–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10958524

[28] Bărbuleţ, G., 2024. The role of pragmatics in intercultural encounters. Annales Universitatis Apulensis. Series Philologica. 25(1), 326–335.

[29] Spencer-Oatey, H., 2017. Rethinking rapport: A socio-pragmatic perspective for the global workplace. Multilingual Matters: Bristol, UK.

[30] Deardorff, D.K., 2006. Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education. 10(3), 241–266. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315306287002

[31] Byram, M., 1997. Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Multilingual Matters: Bristol, UK.

[32] Jackson, J., 2014. Introducing language and intercultural communication. Routledge: London, UK.

[33] Jenkins, J., 2015. Global Englishes: A resource book for students (3rd ed.). Routledge: London, UK.

[34] Derwing, T.M., Munro, M.J., 2015. Pronunciation fundamentals: Evidence-based perspectives for L2 teaching and research. John Benjamins: Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

[35] Walker, R., 2010. Teaching the pronunciation of English as a lingua franca. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

[36] Galloway, N., Rose, H., 2015. Introducing global Englishes. Routledge: London, UK.

Downloads

How to Cite

Fanha Martins, H., Ferro, M. J., & Carvalho, A. S. (2025). Reimagining Business English Pedagogy through A BELF Lens: A Pragmatics- and Culture-Driven Framework. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(11), 1263–1277. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.10995

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 11 (November 2025)

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Hélder Fanha Martins, Maria João Ferro, Ana Sofia Carvalho

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.