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Key research themes
1. How does plurilingualism conceptually and pedagogically differ from multilingualism, and what implications does linguistic research suggest for inclusive language education?
This theme examines the conceptual distinction between plurilingualism and multilingualism, emphasizing plurilingualism as a dynamic, holistic, and individual linguistic repertoire that transcends mere coexistence of multiple languages. It explores pedagogical and policy perspectives that embrace linguistic diversity as an asset, fostering mediation, plurilanguaging, and positive attitudes toward inclusivity in language learning and education. This insight is relevant to inclusive language use, as it advocates for recognizing and accommodating diverse linguistic competencies within societal and educational contexts.
Key finding: The paper delineates plurilingualism as a concept distinct from multilingualism by focusing on the dynamic linguistic repertoire of individuals, as institutionalized in the Council of Europe's CEFR and its Companion Volume.... Read more
Key finding: The dictionary provides foundational definitions and terminological clarifications across broad linguistics subfields, including sociolinguistics and applied linguistics, supporting the conceptual framing of plural language... Read more
Key finding: This lexicographical work emphasizes representation of linguistic practices across descriptive, historical, typological, and applied linguistics, including sociolinguistics and ethnolinguistics, which underpin research on... Read more
2. What are the semantic and pragmatic challenges posed by language usage phenomena such as enantiosemy and inclusion of linguistic plurality, and how do these affect understanding, translation, and language inclusivity?
This research area focuses on semantic complexities like enantiosemy—where a single lexical form embodies contradictory meanings—and the nuanced use of pragmatic meaning in communication. Addressing these challenges is pivotal for inclusive language as they affect clarity, translation equivalencies, and appropriateness in discourse across diverse linguistic communities. Insights here inform how inclusive language must account for polysemy, context, and interpretation to ensure effective and equitable communication.
Key finding: The study reveals that English legal terminology, traditionally assumed monosemantic, contains polysemous and enantiosemic lexemes embodying opposing meanings within a single form. This semantic complexity in a domain... Read more
Key finding: This paper elucidates linguopragmatics as the study of language functioning in context, focusing on speaker intention, addressee interpretation, and pragmatic effect, which are central for effective communication. It... Read more
Key finding: This work compares historical and communicative language teaching methods, assessing vocabulary acquisition's role in language comprehension and production. It implicates the importance of vocabulary depth and familiarity in... Read more
3. How do historical etymology and semantic shifts in languages (e.g., English Latinate vocabulary or Latin prefixes) inform our understanding of inclusivity and formality in language use?
This area investigates how inherited, borrowed, and semantically evolving lexical items contribute to hierarchical and cultural nuances influencing perceptions of formality, social status, and inclusivity in language. By analyzing Latinate vocabulary in English and Latin morphosemantic structures, scholars detail how linguistic choices convey meanings shaped by historical contexts, affecting inclusive language policies and intercultural communication.
Key finding: The paper demonstrates that Latinate English vocabulary is consistently perceived as formal across frequency classes due to historical introduction via institutional and scholarly domains. The semantic stratification, such as... Read more
Key finding: This linguistic analysis reduces the Latin prefix 'inter-' to two primary semantic functions related to spatial division and connection. It articulates how morphological understanding of such dual semantic roles enriches... Read more
Key finding: This work elaborates on the origins and semantic changes of English vocabulary, particularly focusing on core versus learned lexicons and the dynamics of borrowing and internal word-formation. It contextualizes inclusive... Read more