applied linguistics

American  

noun

1. linguistic theory as applied to such fields as lexicography, psychology, the teaching of reading, the creation of orthographies, and especially language teaching.

2. the study of practical applications of linguistics, as to telephone engineering, data processing, and data retrieval.

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Etymology

Origin of applied linguistics

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Uju Anya, an associate professor of applied linguistics at Carnegie Mellon University, has seen the same Black hair challenges play out since the 1990s, she said.

From Washington Post • Jan. 5, 2023

A senior lecturer in communication and applied linguistics at the University of Portsmouth, Dr Tranchese studies how new words coined to describe existing forms of abuse are a means to challenge gender violence.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2022

“With nonbinary people, language is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Rodrigo Borba, a professor of applied linguistics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

From New York Times • Jul. 20, 2022

Scholars engaged in the field of applied linguistics seek to identify and offer solutions to real-life problems involving language.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

It’s a distancing tactic, says Philip Seargeant, senior lecturer in applied linguistics at the Open University.

From The Guardian • Mar. 14, 2017