MODIFICATION OF ENGLISH AS A GLOBAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive linguistic analysis of the English language`s modification as a global communicative tool in the era of digital transformation and socio-cultural globalization. The relevance of the study is driven by the profound crisis of the traditional prescriptive norm, which was based on British or American standards, and the emergence of new forms of linguistic interaction. The authors focus on a shift in the scientific paradigm: the transition from a monocentric model to the recognition of the pluricentric nature of English through the prism of the World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Special emphasis is placed on the impact of the digital environment (social networks, messenges, and generative artificial intelligence) on the lexicosyntactic structure of the language. The process of neologization, semantic shifts, and the formation of a “flexible norm” that legitimizes simplification and multimodality in network usage are investigated. The article examines the concept of “pragmatic failure” and the barriers to intercultural communication arising from the gap between academic training and real-world language practices. The scientific novelty lies in the systematization of theoretical collisions between the “Norm vs. Usage” dichotomy and the substantiation of the criterion of intelligibility as dominant over normative correctness. The practical significance of th work is embodied in the proposal of linguo-didactic solutions: updating teaching methods through the implementation of the Lingua Franca Core model, diversifying students’ acoustic experience, and developing strategies to overcome language anxiety. The conclusions emphasize the need to abandon “native-speakerism” in favor of forming intercultural competence capable of adapting to the shifting digital landscape.