This paper traces the link between three issues in the study of globalization. The first concerns the semantics of globalization. To understand how globalization might affect our lives, we need a form of literacy that transcends simple interpretation to reflection on the social significance of globalization discourse. This paper will also explore the consequences of the dominance of English. We will argue that globalization is a process that may involve a certain amount of homogenization but also always results in linguistic glocalization. Finally, the implications of the forces of globalization for intercultural communication will be investigated. Here three paradigms on cultural difference (cultural differentialism, cultural convergence and hybridization) will be presented and the interconnectedness of the above mentioned issues will be discussed.