Str. Iuliu Maniu, nr. 41A
Brasov
Romania
The 8th edition of SUM puts forward a wide array of interdisciplinary topics centred around language structures and practices in today’s context marked by significant global shifts such as migration, globalization, intercultural communication, and digitalization. The chosen topic has stirred the interest of scholars involved in various fields of research.
Linguists define language practices as the choices individuals make in sound, word usage, and grammar, shaped by both conscious and unconscious factors (Spolsky 2004: 9). In addition, our general assumption is that “linguistic structure is not only shaped by how speakers interact with each other and with the world they live in, but also by external forces that are outside the control of individual speakers or speech communities” (Busser 2015: 1).
Sociologists view language as an integral part of social life, spanning negotiation, politics, and education (Schatski 2001: 70). Sapir (1921: 221) emphasized the inseparable connection between language and culture, echoing the sentiment that language exists within the socially inherited fabric of our lives.
Education, particularly foreign language learning, focuses on developing language skills in reading, writing, and oral communication, emphasizing real-world application (Gee 2004, in Storto et al. 2023: 3). The emerging field of neurodidactics delves into brain research, exploring conditions that influence learning (Elsenbaumer 2013: 3). Additionally, digital language practices enabling global interaction through various digital media, such as social networks and blogs, have begun shaping new language structures reflective of our digital age (Androutsopoulos and Juffermans 2014).
This edition of the conference aims to bring together these strands with a view to sharing and expanding knowledge on the topic of language structures and practices. We welcome contributions from scholars who theoretically or empirically address topics that could cover, but are not limited to:
- Language policies and practices
- Morpho-syntactic/semantic/pragmatic language structures and practices
- Societal evolution and language structures
- Digital language practices
- Culture and language practices
- Socio-/psycholinguistic practices
- Language practices and global connectivity
- Translanguaging
Scholars from sociology, neurodidactics, intercultural studies, and language instruction are encouraged to submit their contributions.