English has served as a means of communication among speakers of different first languages (i.e. a lingua franca) for many centuries. Yet its present spread and use are so new that English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in its current global manifestation did not exist as recently as 1946 when this Journal was launched. During the 20 years or so since it was first identified and empirically researched, however, ELF has grown from a minority interest within applied linguistics to a major field of study in its own right. And most recently, attention has turned to its implications for the ELT classroom. This article explores the development of research into ELF, examines some of the misconceptions about it that have been expressed (including in this very Journal), and considers its future in terms of ELT pedagogy.