In the talk the authors consider the possibility of the English language with its «enormous vocabulary and supple grammar» becoming a universal lingua franca. English as a global language is compared with Latin once spoken in the vast territories of the Roman Empire, which — even after the decline of the latter — was famously a means of communication for educated people in Europe and which, in the long run, gave way to national languages that turned out to be a more natural tool for communication in all spheres of life. Also, the authors look at the changes that might possibly take place in the English language if people begin to use it as a lingua franca. In their talk the authors rely on the works by the outstanding British linguist David Crystal on the present state of English as well as draw on some historical facts that may shed light on the reasons why Latin widely spread in the past did not manage to survive as a universal language and failed to unite Europe.