EIL is cross-cultural.
Students must somehow be prepared to operate with English in unknown situations, which is characterized by variation in linguistic and cultural behavior. Diversity in the learners' cultural background and the forms of English around the world is a fact. Recognizing the fact that the objectives in EIL are broader cross-cultural communication, Baxter (1980) notes that students need practice in listening to English in the real world. They have to have the chance to hear actual spoken English with its inherited diversity. Accordingly as a pioneering advocate of EIL, Smith (1983) proposes a value free or cosmopolitan English that is quite independent of any cultural background but able to represent, describe and illustrate all cultures with equal vigor.