MULTIPLES is concerned with the study of language and discourse as aspects of social life. It engages with the applied and educational dimensions of this field and does so with particular reference to contemporary multilingualism. We connect researchers with backgrounds in various linguistic disciplines, including Sociolinguistics, Language Acquisition (first, second and foreign), Language Teaching and Learning, Language in Education, Discourse Analysis, Linguistic Anthropology, Translation and Interpreting studies.
Research extends into a range of institutional and professional contexts of language use (educational, social welfare, business, media), as well as specific niche interests (e.g. Sign Language studies). We take note of the challenges of language learning, multilingual provision and language professionalization in today’s globalized, multilingual society as inviting an empirical programme of both description, interpretation and explanation of practices and processes, as well as a sustained pedagogical effort which spreads across areas of language acquisition, learning and mediation.
Research activities are organized into two closely linked, multidisciplinary research and knowledge clusters:
- Language in society
- Language learning
MULTIPLES fosters collaboration across both clusters and invites the sharing of ideas and methodologies to create productive and effective academic partnerships.