Applied Linguistics:

When did it all begin? (1/2)

• The term Applied Linguistics (AL) is an Anglo-
American coinage.
• It was founded first at the University of
Edinburgh School of Applied Linguistics in
1956.
• Then at the Center of Applied Linguistics in
Washington D.C. in 1957.

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 1

 Applied Linguistics:
When did it all begin? (2/2)
• The British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL)
was formally established in 1967, with the following
aims: “the advancement of education by fostering
and promoting, by any lawful charitable means, the
study of language use, language acquisition and
language teaching and the fostering of inter-
disciplinary collaboration in this study” (BAAL, 1994).
• It was largely taken for granted in the 1960s and
1970s that applied linguistics was about language
teaching.
An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 2
 What is Applied Linguistics? (1/4)
• Applied Linguistics entails using what we know about
language, about how it is used, and about how it is
learned in order to solve some problem in the real
world.
• Applied Linguistics uses language-related research in
a wide variety of fields (e.g. language acquisition,
language teaching, literacy, gender studies, language
policy, speech therapy, discourse analysis,
censorship, workplace communication, media
studies, translation, lexicography, forensic linguistics).
An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 3
 What is Applied Linguistics? (2/4)
“AL is the utilisation of the knowledge about the
nature of language achieved by linguistic
research for the improvement of the efficiency
of some practical task in which language is a
central component.” (Corder, 1974, p. 24)

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 4

 What is Applied Linguistics? (3/4)
“Applied Linguistics is using what we know
about (a) language, (b) how it is learned, and (c)
how it is used, in order to achieve some purpose
or solve some problem in the real world”
(Schmitt & Celce-Murcia, 2002, p. 1).

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 5

 What is Applied Linguistics? (4/4)
“The focus of applied linguistics is on trying to
resolve language-based problems that people
encounter in the real world, whether they be
learners, teachers, supervisors, academics,
lawyers, service providers, those who need
social services, test takers, policy developers,
dictionary makers, translators, or a whole range
of business clients.” (Grabe, 2002, p. 9).

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 6

 What problems are related to
language?
Problems related to: • language assessment,
• language learning, • language use,
• language teaching, • language and
• literacy, technology,
• language contact • translation and
(language & culture), interpretation,
• language policy and • language pathology.
planning,

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 7

 A sample of questions Applied
Linguistics addresses (1/2)
• How can we teach languages better?
• How can we diagnose speech pathologies
better?
• How can we improve the training of
translators?
• How can we develop valid language
examinations?

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 8

 A sample of questions Applied
Linguistics addresses (2/2)
• How can we determine the literacy levels of a
population?
• What advice can we give the ministry of
education on proposals to introduce a new
teaching method?
• What advice can we give a defence lawyer on
the authenticity of a police transcript of an
interview with a suspect?

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 9

 What is the relationship between AL and
other language related disciplines? (1/2)
• Applied linguistics occupies an intermediary,
mediating position between language related
disciplines (linguistics, psycholinguistics and
sociolinguistics) and professional practice
• It uses theories/principles from language related
disciplines in order to understand language related
issues and to solve language related problems.
The choice of which disciplines are involved in
applied linguistics matters depends on the
circumstances.
An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 10
 What is the relationship between AL and
other language related disciplines? (2/2)
• Applied linguistics conducts research into
professional practice and on the basis of the
results develops theory.

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 11

 Theoretical, Interdisciplinary and
Applied Linguistics
Theoretical Interdisciplinary Applied linguistics
linguistics linguistics
• Phonology, • Psycholinguistics, • Applied linguistics
• Morphology, • Sociolinguistics, to language
• Syntax and • Pragmatics, education,
structural • Discourse analysis. • Applied linguistics
grammar, • Computational and to foreign language
• Semantics, corpus linguistics. education,
• Historical • Translation studies,
linguistics. • Lexicography.

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 12

 Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
• Linguistics is primarily concerned with
language in itself and in findings ways of
analysing language and building theories that
describe language.
• Applied linguistics is concerned with the role
of language in peoples’ lives and problems
associated with language use in peoples’ lives.
• Linguistics is essential but not the only feeder
discipline.
An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 13
 Linguistics

Applied
Education
Linguistics

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 14

 Linguistics
(the study of the nature, structure and variation of language).
Applied Linguistics

Education (teaching, learning, acquisition, assessment).

Sociology
(the scientific study of human behavior and the study of society).

Psychology (the science of mind and behavior, and the application

of such knowledge of various spheres of human activity).

Anthropology
(the scientific study of the origin and behavior of man).

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 15

 Subfields of Applied Linguistics
Language and Language, work Language, information
education and the law and effect
• First language • Workplace • Literary stylistics,
education, communication, • Critical discourse
• Second language • Language analysis,
education, planning, • Translation and
• Foreign language • Forensic Interpretation,
education, linguistics. • Information design,
• Clinical linguistics, • Lexicography.
• Language testing.

An Introduction to Applied Linguistics 16