English operates as an international lingua franca and the great majority of communication in English is between people who come from non-Anglo backgrounds.
Long before English became the lingua franca of the Internet age, the world has wanted a common language.
German is now spoken by up to 100 million people as their mother tongue tho English remains the lingua franca.
The new Northern Ireland Assembly will need to institutionalize what we might term an inclusivist lingua franca, or common-sense.
English is becoming one lingua franca which of us cause to sigh with relief!