Over the last three decades, research has revealed different aspects of the use of English in various parts of the world. Particularly, English as a lingua franca (ELF) is playing a vital role in international interactions and intercultural settings, while at present non-native English speakers outnumber native English speakers. This research focus was on attitudes of Iranian students towards learning English language and English as a lingua franca (ELF). To the extent of literature, it seems that no study has been conducted on Iranian postgraduate students’ attitude about English and ELF in the context of Malaysia. To address this gap, a qualitative approach was implemented using an open-ended questionnaire followed by interviews. This research attempted to explicate the opinion and attitudes of these students about English while living and studying in an ELF context (Malaysia). The results of this research illuminated how the beliefs and attitudes of these Iranian postgraduate students about the use of English have been changed or adjusted over the course of study in Malaysia where they experience using English as a lingua franca. In other words, their perception about English is moving away from norm-dependency, while their awareness about English as a lingua franca is being increased. It revealed the interchange between EFL and ELF perspectives, highlighting their attitudes about the use of English. The findings of this thesis can make for new potential studies about attitudes of Iranian speakers towards English language, and particularly English as a lingua franca in this previously unexplored context.
| Date of Award | 22 Apr 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Tom Devlin (Main Supervisor) & David Rudrum (Co-Supervisor) |
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