Over the centuries, first Latin and then French, German, and Russian have receded in perceived importance as languages of science. Other powerful languages with extensive internal scientific discourse, such as Japanese and Chinese, have always been largely excluded. The dominance of English has elevated the reputation of English-language…

Reviews the political, economic, and educational situations in China to explain why the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) has revived and to forecast the development of EFL over the next two decades. Topics explored include language needs of students of science and technology, teaching methodologies, and teacher training. (CB)