Applied linguistics is the branch of linguistics concerned with using linguistic theory to address real-world problems. It has been traditionally dominated by the fields of language education and second language acquisition. There is a recurrent tension between those who regard the field as limited to the study of language learning, and those who see it as encompassing all applications of linguistic theory. Both definitions are widely used.
The field of applied linguistics first concerned itself with second language acquisition, in particular errors and contrastive analysis, in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s, with the failure of contrastive analysis as a theory to predict errors, applied linguists began to adopt Noam Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar to explain second language learning phenomena. In the 1990s, more and more researchers began to employ research methods from cognitive psychology.
Today, the field is a cross-disciplinary mix of departments primarily from linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and education.
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Center for Applied Linguistics - CAL carries out a wide range of activities including research, teacher education, analysis and dissemination of information, design and development of instructional materials, technical assistance, conference planning, program evaluation, and policy analysis.
Meta Description: [ The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) aims to promote and improve the teaching and learning of languages, identify and solve problems related to language and culture, and serve as a resource for information about language and culture. CAL carries out a wide range of activities including resear... ]
Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics - Provides training and research opportunities in such areas as linguistics, language and culture learning, language assessment and development, literacy and Bible translation, and to equip students with the skills to train and serve others.
Meta Description: [
The Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics provides training
and research opportunities leading to graduate degrees in
applied linguistics and development of languages. ]
Issues in Applied Linguistics - Refereed journal managed, edited and published by graduate students of the UCLA Department of Applied Linguistics.
Jyväskylä Virtual Library - Applied Linguistics - Multilingual collection of links and articles.
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What is Applied Linguistics? - An introduction to the area, and to UCLA's linguistics program.
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