Wahyu Puji Lestari
2201409027
401-402
ASSIGNMENT OF TOPICS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS
1. Find the definitions of ‘Applied Linguistics’!
Through the term ‘applied linguistics’ can be confirmed as a follow up, or
precisesly the efforts to practically apply theoretical linguistics which has been
proved scientifically. This term seemed to appear in America in 1940s (Mackey in
Reading for Applied Linguistics, Allen & Corder eds 1975:247 in Introduction to
Linguistics Handout).
We can say that applied linguistics sets out to investigate problems in the
world in which language is implicated – both educational and social problems. To
solve the problems, it seems reasonable that we should set out to investigate and
understand the facts of language use, to organize and formalize what we know, and to
so will we be able to set out the options for action and the reasoning behind them, and
to debate the alternatives openly and independently, in as informed and rational a
manner as possible.
(Applied Linguistics, Oxford University Press, retrieved from www.oup.com/elt/ on
March 13th 2012).
Applied linguistics is the utilization of the knowledge about the nature of
language achieved by linguistic research for the improvement of the efficiency of
some practical tasks in which language is a central component (Corder 1973: 4 in On
the Scope of Applied Linguistics. Hossein Farhady. Iran University of Science and
Technology).
Today the governing board of AILA describes applied linguistics 'as a means
to help solve specific problems in society…applied linguistics focuses on the numerous
and complex areas in society in which language plays a role.'* There appears to be
consensus that the goal is to apply the findings and the techniques from research in
linguistics and related disciplines to solve practical problems. To an observer, the
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Topics in Applied Linguistics
subject our knowledge to rational consideration and critical analysis. Only by doing
most notable change in applied linguistics has been its rapid growth as an
interdisciplinary field. In addition to foreign language teaching and machine
translation, a partial sampling of issues considered central to the field of applied
linguistics today includes topics such as language for special purposes (e.g. language
and communication problems related to aviation, language disorders, law, medicine,
science), language policy and planning, and language and literacy issues. For
example, following the adoption of English as the working language for all
international flight communication by the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO), some applied linguists concerned themselves with understanding the kinds of
linguistic problems that occur when pilots or flight engineers from varying
backgrounds communicate using a nonnative language and how to better train them
to communicate in English more effectively.
(Source: G. Richard Tucker, Linguistics society of America, retrieved from
http://lsadc.org/info/ling-fields-applied.cfm on March 14th 2012)
Applied Linguistics: Takes into account individual and group aspects of
language behaviour and knowledge + sociocultural, historical, political, and
ideological aspects. Language is studied “in attested, authentic instances of use”. AL
is concerned with professional activities whose aim is to solve ‘rel-world’ languageand also help improve some aspects of the human condition, increased social and
political intervention and advocacy may also be warranted. This means that research
touches on a particularly wide range of issues – psychological, pedagogical, social,
political, and economic as well as linguistic. As a consequence, AL research tends to
be interdisciplinary in practice and as a result many linguists have expanded the
frontiers of their enquiry beyond the traditional three areas of core linguistics to
include many areas.
(Source: Chapter 1; Language, Learning, and Teaching (pp. 1-19) in Brown, D.H.
(2000). Principles of language learning & teaching. (4th ed.). New York: Longman)
Applied linguistics’ (AL) is one of several academic disciplines focusingon
how language is acquired and used in the modern world. It is asomewhat eclectic field
that accommodates diverse theoreticalapproaches, and its interdisciplinary scope
includes linguistic, psychological and educational topics. Although the field’s original
focus wasthe study of foreign/second languages, this has been extended to coverfirst
language issues, and nowadays many scholars would considersociolinguistics and
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based problems, to yield a greater understanding of phenomena in the mind/world
pragmatics to be part of the AL rubric. Recently, ALconferences and journals have
reflected the growing influence of psychology-basedapproaches, which in turn is a
reflection of the increasing prevalence of cognitive(neuro)science in the study of
human mental functions.
(Zoltán Dörnyei, Professor of psycholinguistics, University of Nottingham, retrieved
from www.cambridge.org/elt on March 13th 2012)
2. What does ‘Applied Linguistics’ cover?
The fields that are in the area of applied linguistics are:
a.
Language teaching
b.
Language learning
c.
Translation theories
d.
Translation machines
e.
Lexicography
f.
Speech pathology
Because the real-world language-based problems that applied linguists try
to mediate are enormously diverse, having in common only the probability that they
are language based, it is unlikely that any single paradigm can speak to the diverse
activity of the field. Depending on the setting of a given problem, the applied linguist
practitioner may be expected to know something about at least the following:
Anthropology
International relations
Political science
Psychology and neurology
Public administration
Sociology
Teacher training
Text production
Economics
Language learning and teaching
Education theory
Lexicography
Gerontology
Planning
History
Policy Development
(Source: The Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics. 2002. New York: Oxford
University Press)
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Topics in Applied Linguistics
(Source: Introduction to Linguistics Handout by Amir Sisbiyanto: 65)
(Source: Kaplan (1980) in On the Scope of Applied Linguistics (pp. 440). Hossein
Farhady. Iran University of Science and Technology )
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An Illustration of the Scope of Applied Linguistics