Applied Linguistics: A Pragmatic Discipline, a Generic Discipline?

Commentary on essays in a special issue of Applied Linguistics titled "Applied Linguistics and Real-World Issues" suggests a redefinition of the discipline of applied linguistics as the "pragmatically motivated study of language," ie, a discipline that intends to address real-world problems in which language has a role, not merely to describe them. Four levels of research are implied by contributors: (1) theoretical understanding of the potential roles of language in real-world problems, (2) communication in an accessible fashion to audiences outside the discipline, (3) construction & critique of a theory of the practice of applied linguists & informed nonapplied linguists, & (4) contribution to the development of institutions, policies, & practices for the benefit of society. In this context, Claire Kramsch's (2005) contention that communicative language teaching & early stages of applied linguistics in general were oriented towards commercial purposes is argued to be contradicted by the theorizing & practical applications of numerous publications in these frameworks. 49 References. J. Hitchcock