Applied Linguistics
Applied Linguistics (AP) in the Subcontinent(Continue)
Applied linguistics- a cover term for several sub disciplines that contribute to the increasing understanding of the role of language in human affairs- providing knowledge to those dealing with language related issue- highly diversified. The term ‘applied linguistics’ came into use in the late 1940s and in the 1950s in both Britain and USA, where it initially referred to the teaching and learning of second or foreign languages.
However, it got prominence in India through the Linguistic Society of India, (formed at the Fifth Oriental Conference held at Lahore in 1928 with its first journal ‘ Indian Linguistics (IL)’ commencing publication in 1931). In pre-independence undivided India, the activities of the Society were mainly centered on descriptive and historical linguistics. Major activities in the growth of linguistics as an independent discipline of study began from the meeting of the Society of Deccan College, Pune in 1951.
Since the English language was supposed to cease functioning as official languag in January 1965, the meeting identified tha application of linguistics towards the solution of problem of communication and for the development of regional languages as a fundamental need. Subsequent political developments led to the amendment of the constitution in 1967 whereby English was declared as the ‘associate official language’, which it continues to be till this day. The Summer Institutes in linguistics came into existence in 1954, and Departments of Linguistics began to be set up in Indian Universities, the sole exception being the Department at Calcutta University that had been established in 1920. Linguistics as a major discipline was taught in 14 universities by 1982, the number rose to 20 in 1992, and today it is around 32. Needles to say that applied linguistics is a major component of these programs.
The major trend towards publication in applied linguistics can be said to have begun with Some Aspects of Applied Linguistics by D.P. Pattanayak (1969) and Aspects of Applied Linguistics by A.M. Ghatage (1970). The Dravidian Linguistics was formed in 1971 and the first issue of International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics (IJDL) was bought out in January 1972. Keeping in view the demand for publication in applied linguistics, Mr. Ujjal Singh Bahri founded the Indian Journal of Applied Linguistics (IJOAL) and the Language Forum (LF) in 1975. The biannual South Asian Language Review (SALR) under the editorship of Prof. O.N. Koul commended publication from January 1991.
While IL, IJDL, and SALR publish papers on theoretical as well as applied linguistics, the IJOAL caters only to applied linguistics while LF publishes papers on applied linguistics and on literary studies. At present in addition to this, there are a number of other significant publications such as CIEFL Bulletin, Osmania Papers in Linguistics, The Yearbook of South Asian Languages and Lingustics, Psycholingual and Applied Linguistics. The setting up of the Central Institute of English and Foreign Language- CIEFL (1958), the Central Hindi Directorate- CHD (1960), the Central Hindi Institute- CHI (1961), and the Central Institute of Indian Language- CIIL (1969) have further strengthened the work on applied linguistics through researches and publications. The robustness of the field can also be seen through numerous publications brought out by Sage Publications, Bahri Publications, Creative Publications, Oxford University Press and of course by the CIIL. The range of publications on applied linguistics show that the discipline which was initially equated with language teaching/learning has now grown in scope to include other issues as well as issues related to multilingualism, language planning, language contact studies, second language acquisition, stylistic, translation, studies language disorders and computatioanal linguistics, etc.
posted by Rini Ekayati :: Linguistics :: @ 5:34 PM
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