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Definition and History of Applied Linguistics
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. AL
use was propagated by those who clearly wanted to be known as scientists and
not as humanists.
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.
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. AL covers two main points:
• The study of second and foreign language learning and teaching.
• The study of language and linguistics in relation to practical problems.
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).
Definitions of Applied Linguistics
-“AL is the utilization 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)
-A branch of linguistics where the primary concern is the application of
linguistic theories, methods and findings to the elucidation of language problems
which have arisen in other areas of experience. (Crystal, 1985)
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-“A multidisciplinary approach to the solution of language-related problems.”
(Strevens, 1992)
“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).
-“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).
Defining Characteristics of Applied Linguistics
•AL is Autonomous, multidisciplinary and problem solving: It uses and
draws on theory from other related fields concerned with language and generates
its own theory in order to find solutions to language related problems and issues
in the real world.
•Practical concerns have an important role in shaping the questions that AL will
address.
-Language related problems concern learners, teachers, academics, lawyers,
translators, test takers, service providers, etc.
- Problems related to language can also be said as related to:
•language learning,
•language teaching,
•literacy,
•language contact (language & culture),
•language policy and planning,
•language assessment,
•language use,
•language and technology,
•translation and interpretation,
•language pathology.
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Definition and History of Applied Linguistics
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. AL
use was propagated by those who clearly wanted to be known as scientists and
not as humanists.
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.
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. AL covers two main points:
• The study of second and foreign language learning and teaching.
• The study of language and linguistics in relation to practical problems.
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).
Definitions of Applied Linguistics
-“AL is the utilization 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)
-A branch of linguistics where the primary concern is the application of
linguistic theories, methods and findings to the elucidation of language problems
which have arisen in other areas of experience. (Crystal, 1985)
1
, lOMoARcPSD|22512787
-“A multidisciplinary approach to the solution of language-related problems.”
(Strevens, 1992)
“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).
-“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).
Defining Characteristics of Applied Linguistics
•AL is Autonomous, multidisciplinary and problem solving: It uses and
draws on theory from other related fields concerned with language and generates
its own theory in order to find solutions to language related problems and issues
in the real world.
•Practical concerns have an important role in shaping the questions that AL will
address.
-Language related problems concern learners, teachers, academics, lawyers,
translators, test takers, service providers, etc.
- Problems related to language can also be said as related to:
•language learning,
•language teaching,
•literacy,
•language contact (language & culture),
•language policy and planning,
•language assessment,
•language use,
•language and technology,
•translation and interpretation,
•language pathology.
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