Applied Linguistics is perturbed with the organized knowledge of language framework. The attainment of the primary language and secondary languages is also part of this phenomenon. This field has also been related to the communication between various ethnic groups and cultures. It is because of AL that the people like Teachers, scholars, language translators, and similar language-related professionals are in existence. It is the use of language with the real world. The application of language with reality has been the primary objective of this field. Education can be considered the most significant usage of Applied Linguistics. You can say that it is because of Linguistics that people are able to communicate in harmony. Applied Linguistics is mostly applied for the following purpose:
- To test the framework of Language and conclude its purpose in the field of communication.
- It also focuses on the use of languages by young children; it uses its methodologies in finding out ways children are able to learn a language.
- Researching on the capabilities of the secondary languages spoken by people is also done using it.
- The impact of the social world is also experimented upon in this field.
The limit of Applied Linguistics cannot be deduced easily. Without any boundaries to engulf it, there is no reliable information that tells the people about the saturation point of this field. It is the bridge that links the theoretical world of language to the practical world. It is capable of providing highly organized surroundings that are necessary for commendable communication between individuals or groups – which practically focuses on the real-life situations. Even the basic learning methods at schools and colleges are based on this phenomenon. This field is used for not only teaching mechanisms, but also for other areas like, psychology, sociology, anthropology, science, educative fields, and everything else that is concerned with the use of language. It is because of this linguistics that people are able to communicate with one another. The very existence of AL has been to explore and apply the core language and the languages that came from it. Another important aspect of this field is the use of Multilingualism. Multilingualism is the phenomenon in which an individual or a group of individuals use multiple languages for communication. The trending world needs to learn more than one language these days to communicate more efficiently.
Another definition to this branch can be the evaluation of language to make it connect to the real world. Its experimenting is situational; the field is used in practice on the basis of various situations encountered in daily life. For example, a foreign tourist approaches you for directions. Whether you are able to communicate with that tourist in his/her language will depend on your knowledge of the language he/she speaks. But, what if you are not familiar with it? In that situation, you might use sign language to express your views to that foreign tourist. What you did here applied linguistics to develop sound communication with the sources you had. It did not matter whether your perfection in the language was required. It is able to focus on the communication strategy used by each and every individual present out there. Despite being able to improvise with the practical world, there are also theories that drive this field – which makes it interdisciplinary. You can apply this field to so many subjects whether it is related to Science or to Commerce. You can find analyzed contexts in books and modules that can provide you with detailed information about the nature of Linguistics.
With its aid, it becomes easier to understand the part that a language can play in the lives of the people. The leading role is played by language in this theory-based world that is provides the people the means to communicate with each other. The salutary thing about it is that it is able to provide modes of interaction in a diversified number of ways. People can choose from predefined ways or come up with a new mode of communication as the phenomenon is free from the periphery. The name is not merely limited to the application of linguistics in the theoretical or practical world. The field deals with much more than that. It comprises of everything that uses language in its circuit. Various subjects like psychology, anthropology, research work, communication, sociology, bilingualism, analysis of language, and multilingualism are all influenced by the use of this science. All the decisions needed to be taken for language-related issues are formulated with the help of this field. Event the literacy of people is judged on the basis of AL. None of this was possible if the step to keep this domain alive was not taken in the past. With the increasing language-related problems in society, there was a need to promote this branch. And it did come out to be beneficial in the end.
What you might get confused about is explaining the difference between Theoretical Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. Theoretical Linguistics is based on the field that is focused on the development of versions with a linguistic approach. The areas of study which use language as a theoretical concept in their research and analysis is what Theoretical Linguistics does. The field is based on the subjects that have been developed to be followed using the principles designed by experts in the field. Nothing is practical when it comes to this domain as everything has already been forethought. In other words, fields like Phonology, Syntax, Semantics, and Morphology are the basic fields that bring up the context of Theoretical Linguistics. On the other hand, AL is more interdisciplinary when it comes to application. This field is able to improvise the situation and adapt to the circumstances. After properly analyzing the situation it provides the solution to the problem. This field is not relevant to printed materials as it focuses highly on the practical side of language. The use of this language-based phenomenon by an individual of any age is what makes it flexible and beneficial. Using the field in the practical world makes it different from the theoretical side of this branch.
It furnishes the hypothetical and graphical substructure for exploration and clarification of issues related to language. The primary focus of this branch is on the educational languages which comprise – first language, second language, and a foreign language. Though this rule is not obligatory in all countries it does show the core context of this field. As told before, the objective of this large field is not limited to these subcategories – the branch also helps in interpreting solutions to other complex subjects like forensic linguistics, lexicography, and also clinical linguistics. These subjects have been classified to focus on the real-world predicaments of language-based problems. The whole idea has therefore turned out to be interdisciplinary. So, it can also be stated to be the initiating step to the denouement of Theoretical or Hypothetical Linguistics. Many brilliant scholars when asked about this field stated that it is not at all the application of Linguistics, but it has meaning surpassing the theoretical concept of the phenomenon. It is more like research and experimenting field that embraces the lure of all the subjects associated with it.
Due to the broad context of AL, there have been contradictions in society regarding the hypothetical or theoretical side of the branch and the practical side of it. There might be disagreements in the educational groups regarding the application of the field as the practical side of the branch is free of regulations. Even though the methods are effective but without a protocol, it has many times been a target for disagreement. Despite all the fundamental issues, there still is a bonding between the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject which makes it connected. For example – you might learn a foreign language and then use it to communicate with the people of that foreign country (which would be the theoretical method) or you can try out using your hands and signs to communicate with the people there (which is the practical way of linguistics). Both methods are effective in their own way. The practical side of the branch has always welcomed new modes and methods to broaden this field. Its usage in subjects like Psychology has proven its importance in today’s life. The approach to psychology is more reflective which makes the subject reach down to the roots of the branch.
Communication has always been responsible for the actions of people. If the people are not able to carry out a sound interaction among them then it might lead to devastating outcomes. Applied Linguistics has helped in reducing that communication gap. The interdisciplinary field of AL will surely provide the people with a highly beneficial aftermath.
