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Multilingualism, Page 2

Celebrate International Mother Language Day this weekend!

International Mother Language Day will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this Saturday, 21 February. This event, first announced by UNESCO in 1999, aims to increase awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism around the world. Why not mark this event by tweeting in your mother tongue language to help promote and celebrate language diversity online? To find out more about International Mother Language Day, visit the UNESCO website. Continue reading →

Recent publications from ILC researchers

Some more recent publications from ILC researchers in the Department of Modern Languages: Marion Demossier Demossier , Marion (2014) Sarkozy and Roma: performing securitization. In, Maguire, M., Frois, C. and Zurawski, N. (eds.) The Anthropology of Security: Perspectives from the Frontline of Policing, Counter-terrorism and Border Control. London, GB, Pluto Press, 24-44. Jaine Beswick Beswick, Jaine (2014). Continue reading →

Project to help Multilingual Families

Parents, teachers or anyone involved or interested in multilingualism can help evaluate resources being created to help families, educators and stakeholders raise children multilingually. This EU-funded “Multilingual Families” project is targeted at preserving the languages and culture of immigrants and the many families with parents with more than one language. See Multilingual Families website at http://www.multilingual-families.eu/ and the project invitation at https://app.box. Continue reading →

United Nations launches essay contest

The United Nations has launched an essay contest for college and university students which challenges students to write an essay in one of its six official languages on the role of multilingualism in a globalised world. The contest, entitled ‘Many Languages, One World’, supports international education and multilingualism through the continued study of Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Continue reading →

ELF ReN workshop: “ELF and multilingual practices in professional contexts”

The next ELF ReN workshop will be taking place at the University of Southampton Avenue Campus on 7th and 8th November 2013. The workshop is entitled “ELF and multilingual practices in professional contexts” and aims to encourage multi- and inter-disciplinary exchanges on the phenomenon of super-diversity in ELF professional contexts. This is a small workshop and there will be plenty of time for asking questions and discussion. Continue reading →

British Academy report on ‘Multilingual Britain’

The British Academy has recently published its latest report entitled ‘Multilingual Britain’, produced in cooperation with Cumberland Lodge. The report discusses the role of multilingualism in the UK as an asset and resource that is not fully valued, and is one of a series of publications by the British Academy on language issues within the UK. The full publication can be accessed via the Cumberland Lodge website. Continue reading →

Are poor language skills contributing to UK market failure?

The British Academy has published a comprehensive review entitled ‘Languages: the State of the Nation’, which suggests that a poor use of language skills in the UK is contributing to UK market failure. The review draws on research, including a survey of UK employers and labour market intelligence and argues that whilst there is a plentiful supply of multilingual skills in UK society, not enough is being done to tap into this supply. Continue reading →

The most multilingual person in the European Commission

According to a European Commission memo issued to celebrate the European Day of Languages on the 26th September, Ioannis Ikonomou, who is a translator for the European Commission, speaks 32 languages. Ioannis was born in Irakleio, Crete. He studied linguistics at the University of Thessaloniki before pursuing an MA in Middle Eastern languages and cultures at Columbia University in the United States. Ioannis has worked for the Commission since 2002. Continue reading →