English for Business

Abstract

English for business is referred to in the academic literature in a number of different ways, including English for business, business English (BE), English for specific business purposes (ESBP), international business English (IBE), and business English as a lingua franca (BELF). English for business can be considered as English for academic purposes (EAP) when it is taught as part of academic training. Many of the research methods used in EAP are also standard in investigating English for business. When English for business is taught in professional business settings, it overlaps with English for occupational purposes. Other areas of research that are relevant to English for business are sociolinguistics, intercultural communication, discourse analysis, and business communication. Keywords: discourse analysis; esl/efl; globalization; intercultural communication; research methods in applied linguistics; language for specific purposes