What is Applied Linguistics (AL) ?

History and Scope of Applied Linguistics.

Definition of Applied Linguistics (AL) :

Applied linguistics is one of the branches of Linguistics, which is the scientific study of language. It focuses on practical applications of language studies. In other words, it involves the practical application of the concepts related to Linguistics. Moreover, it is the field of study that identifies, investigates and offer solutions to language-related problems. In this way, it helps Linguistics to get insight into practical problems such as the best methods of teaching language.

Various linguists define Applied Linguistics in various ways.

A couple of definitions of Applied Linguistics are as follows :

(i) “Applied Linguistics is the application of the knowledge of Linguistics to some object - or applied linguistics, as its name implies is an activity. It is not a theoretical study. It makes the use of the findings of theoretical studies. The applied linguist is a consumer or user, not a producer of theories."

-Pit Corder

(ii) "Applied Linguistics is a study which the task is to mediate between linguistics and language use."

- Cook

(iii) "Applied Linguistics is a discipline which explores the relations between theory and practice in language with particular reference to issues of language use."

- Dawn Knight

From the above definitions of Applied Linguistics, it can be concluded that applied linguistics is a study of language that is used to solve many problems related to language in many cases.

A Brief History and Scope of Applied Linguistics :

I. History of Applied Linguistics :

There are various possible, starting points of Applied Linguistics particularly from a British Perspective. However, a realistic history of Applied Linguistics originates in 1948 with the publication of the first issue of the journal "Language Learning" a journal of Applied Linguistics. Thenceforth, the terms applied linguistics' has been interpreted in a number of different ways. During the 1950s, the term was commonly meant to reflect the insights of structural and functional linguistics that could be applied to second language teaching. In 1960s, the term continued to be associated with the application of linguistics to language teaching. At the same time, applied linguists became involved in matters of language assessment, language policies and the new field of second language acquisition (SLA) focusing on learning, rather than on teaching. So, by the late 1960s, both a reinforcement of the centrality of second language teaching as applied linguistics and an expansion into other realms of language use were seen.

In the 1970s, there was continuation of the broadening of the field of Applied Linguistics.

Although, the focus on language teaching remained central to the discipline, it acquired into its domain the growing sub-fields of language assessment, second language acquisition, L2 lit-eracy, multilingulism, language policy and planning and language teacher training. During this period, applied linguistics was separated from formal linguistics and later from sociolinguistics.

In the 1980s, applied linguistics truly extended in a systematic way beyond language teaching and language learning issues, in professional settings, translation, bilingualism and multilingulism. These extensions are well documented in the first two years of the journals like AILA, Applied Linguistics and International Journal of Applied Linguistics.

By the 1990s, a common trend was emerging to view applied linguistics as incorporating many subfields and drawing on many supporting disciplines in addition to linguistic and literary studies. Applied Linguistics was then seen as a problem driven and real world based rather than theory driven and disconnected from real language use data. Applied Linguistics still evolved further during the 1990's and 2000s breaking away from the common framing mechanics of the

1980. However, Linguistics remains a core resource for applied linguistics.

Today, there are various developments that have emerged during the recent years and will probably continue to define applied linguistics in the coming decades. Now, emphasis is given on the notions of language awareness, attentions and learning. Language teacher development also has moved in new directions. More importance also is given to the use of language in academic and professional settings. Attention is paid to discussion in language testing and assessment. In addition, applied linguists nowadays discuss the role of critical studies. It covers critical awareness, critical discourse analysis, and critical pedagogy.

day.

Thus, Applied Linguistics has developed a great deal from its beginning to the present

II. Scope of Applied Linguistics :

The scope of Applied Linguistic is very vast and all-pervasive. It is the study of language which is used to solve many problems related to language in many cases.

First, the scope of Applied Linguistics covers the methods of language teaching. Linguistics is applied (used) on the methods while doing the teaching learning activity.

Secondly, Applied Linguistic deals with language and society. This study is called Sociolinguistics. It studies the relationship between the society and language. It solves the problems related to society which reflect language, varieties of language in society, terms of taboos and euphemism.

Thirdly, Applied Linguistics also deals with Language Education or language Learning.

This includes learning of first, second and foreign languages. It also helps to know about clinical linguistics and language testing. Clinical Linguistics is the study of language disability.

The next area of Applied Linguistics is related to Language work and law. It explains about communication in the workplace, language planning and forensic linguistics.

Applied Linguistic also studies language, information and effect. This study includes literary stylistics, critical discourse analysis, translation and interpretation, information design and lexicography.

Further, according to the International Association of Applied Linguistics, the scope of Applied Linguistics includes the issues like Adult Language Learning, Child Language, Teacher Education, Language and the media, Psycho-linguistics and sign language.

Finally, according to Mouton de Gruyter, the scope of Applied Linguistics includes the issues like Language acquisition, Pragmatics, Rhetorics, Computational linguistics, Corpus Lin-guistic, Language Control, and Machine Translation.

Thus, Applied Linguistic is used quite widely today.