This book explores the contemporary phenomenon of English as a world language and sets out to analyze how the language became so dominant and why . . . whereas once Britannia ruled the waves, now it is English which rules them. The British Empire has given way to the empire of English. This book attempts to contribute to an understanding of the ways in which English rules, who makes the rules, and what role the English teaching profession plays in promoting the ‘rules’ of English and the rule of English.