A History of Applied Linguistics: From 1980 to the present

This book provides one perspective on how Applied Linguistics has been defined and how the field of Applied Linguistics has developed over the last 30 years. The author addresses themes like why formal linguistic theories lost so much ground and how the interest in more socially oriented approaches grew? He also addresses the impact of Applied Linguistics on language teaching. Adopting a theme-based approach, the structure of this book is largely defined by the topics covered in interviews with 40 leading international figures selected by the author including Rod Ellis, Diane Larsen-Freeman, Susan Gass, Henry Widdowson, Suresh Canagarajah and Claire Kramsch. These data are supplemented by questionnaires from a further fifty applied linguists, also selected by the author. This will be of interest to anyone studying or researching Applied Linguistics and will also be relevant to those in the related area of English Language Teaching.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction 2. Informants 3. Defining Applied Linguistics 4. Leaders in the Field 5. Most Important Articles and Books 6. Main Trends 7. The Citation Game 8. The Impact of Apllied Linguistics Research on Teaching and Learning 9. Conclusion

About the Author :
Kees de Bot is Chair of Applied Linguistics and head of department at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He is the co-author of many titles including Second Language Acquisition (Routledge, 2005) and the co-editor of Language Development Over the Lifespan (Routledge, 2009).

Review :
CHOICE Recommended: "Aimed at investigating how language data can solve real-life problems, applied linguistics brings together such otherwise separate realms as second-language acquisition, anthropology, and computer science. Its sheer breadth of application offers significant challenges to writing a cogent history of the discipline- even a brief account covering only the past 35 years. In A History of Applied Linguistics, De Bot (Univ. of Groningen, the Netherlands) succeeds in doing just that. Basing his discussion on direct feedback solicited from nearly a hundred scholars in the field, the author touches on all major aspects of the development of applied linguistics, including its milestones, competing theories, evolving trends, and hitherto unresolved problems". -- E. J. Vajda, Western Washington University, CHOICE Vol. 53 No. 3 'A History of Applied Linguistics helps applied linguists better understand the scope of the field and their own places within it. It is full of human-interest stories that will provoke conversation about trends and major figures over the last 30 years. Not everyone will agree with everything in this book, but everyone will want to read it.' Margaret Thomas, Boston College, USA 'Kees DeBot has written a book that opens up the foundations of applied linguistics for close examination. His deep investigation of key themes and assumptions is brought alive by the many voices of applied linguists. The issues raised and insights provided will provoke dialogues that can only benefit our field.' William Grabe, Northern Arizona University, USA