Special Lectures
"Beyond Words: (Im)Politeness and Its Cultural Interpretations" (Dr Xiangdong Liu)
This talk explores (im)politeness and language use, drawing on findings from recent sociopragmatic studies and authentic examples. Politeness fosters smooth communication, builds strong relationships, and achieves effective interaction. However, perceptions of what is polite or impolite can vary significantly across different cultural contexts. Gestures or comments seen as friendly in one culture may be considered offensive in another. For language learners and translators, it is vital to account for the sociopragmatic meanings behind the expressions used and adhere to the target culture's social norms.
"Examining Tensions between Global and Local Imaginaries of Transnational Language Learning" (Dr Levi Durbidge)
This talk presents ideas from the article which was recently awarded the MAK Halliday Prize as well as my recent book, Language Learning, Digital Communications and Study Abroad: Identity and belonging in translocal contexts (Multilingual Matters, 2024), which both explore how language learning during and beyond study abroad is shaped by tensions between global and local imaginaries of language, place, and identity.
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Drawing on the experiences of adolescent Japanese sojourners, I demonstrate the contrast between traditional imaginaries of study abroad as localised spaces of immersive monolingual learning and the reality of translocal and multilingual contexts sojourners encounter. Study abroad contexts are subject to global flows of people and information, creating tensions as learners negotiate these complex environments. On the other hand, local imaginaries of language and identity, which can emerge in opposition to globalising processes, may work to position sojourners in particular ways and structure the social connections and learning opportunities available to them. These negotiations, in turn, shape the linguistic resources sojourners ultimately appropriate.
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I argue that understanding language learning abroad requires consideration of these multifaceted complexities. Furthermore, it necessitates rethinking imaginaries of study abroad to recognize the translocal nature of learning contexts and the inherently multilingual character of language learning.