Formally speaking, English is not, and will not be the Lingua Franca of this age.
The so-called SBI ("Simplified Bad English"/"Spoken Bad English") is currently taking that place in many parts of the world. Upon closer examination, SBI is a set of (near-)pidgins that make use of a reduced english dictionary and grammar rather than anything else.
To me, the whole question presents itself as far less trivial than it is often regarded. The big factor X is, obviously, India. India is possibly the nation with the most SBI speakers in the world, however it can't be estimated what will happen when India plays a more important role than it does now - what language will Indians settle on to primarily communicate with each other? &c.
Another factor is the political and, more importantly, economic influence of the U.S. and, to an extent, Europe, and at this point at the latest the whole picture becomes so complex and impossible to foretell, that any speculation is idle.
>Are we destroying variety
Yes.
And how.
Outside of China and mainland Europe, you are probably the biggest killer language since Latin and Spanish.
>100% phonetic when written, like Serbian or some of the other east european languages...
lol pseudo-linguistic myths
>English in IPA?
We linguists have been proposing that for decades.
First people laughed. Then they found out we were serious.
Now we're having a jolly good time with white jackets and rooms with cushioned walls.
>I have heard that the differences between the chinese dialects are analogous with the differences between the romance languages. Is this correct?
No.
YES MUCH LONGER!!
oh wait, no, you lose.