Introduction

Applied linguistics is a transdisciplinary field which connects knowledge about language and language users to policies and practices in specific contexts. Applied linguistics has shown the promise of becoming a theory of practice in itself or a practical theory of language and communication. The origins of applied linguistics lie in the mid-twentieth century effort to give an academic underpinning to the study of language teaching and learning. Many of the new research sites came to the attention of applied linguists because of the intensification of global migration and contact between people of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The applied linguist’s traditional focus on the language learner gradually expanded to the diversity of language user groups. The diversity of interests of applied linguists and the ever-expanding scope of the field notwithstanding, applied linguistics maintains its distinctive conceptual focus. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.