20.3961, Calls: Applied Ling, Discourse Analysis, Lang Acquisition/France

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LINGUIST List: Vol-20-3961. Wed Nov 18 2009. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 20.3961, Calls: Applied Ling, Discourse Analysis, Lang Acquisition/France

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1)
Date: 17-Nov-2009
From: Céline Poudat < celine at poudat.fr >
Subject: 31st GERAS Conference
 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:52:41
From: Céline Poudat [celine at poudat.fr]
Subject: 31st GERAS Conference

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Full Title: 31st GERAS Conference 

Date: 18-Mar-2010 - 20-Mar-2010
Location: Nice, France 
Contact Person: Laurent Rouveyrol
Meeting Email: Laurent.ROUVEYROL at unice.fr
Web Site: http://www.unice.fr/geras2010 

Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics; Discourse Analysis; Language
Acquisition; Text/Corpus Linguistics 

Subject Language(s): English (eng)

Call Deadline: 15-Dec-2009 

Meeting Description:

The French national research association for English for Specific Purposes
(GERAS) will hold its 31st annual Conference on the following topic « at the
intersection of specialised discourses : heterogeneity and unity » at the
University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis. 

The discussion begun in 2008 concerning the unity and diversity of English for
Specific Purposes (ESP) will be pursued; the distinctive approach in 2010 will
thus examine the phenomenon from the perspective of interconnections.
Suggestions for contributions may approach this question from various angles
along all four research strands: Applied Linguistics and Discourse Analysis,
Culture, Didactics and Technology. 

Please visit the GERAS website www.geras.fr or the Nice conference website
www.unice.fr/geras2010 for further information on the event as well as the Call
for Papers. 

Call for Papers

At the Intersection of Specialised Discourses: Heterogeneity and Unity

The topics covered by the 2010 GERAS Conference in Nice reflect the continuing
focus of the scientific association's research on the multiplicity and unity of
English for Specific Purposes. The 2008 conference looked at the theme of
distance/proximity in ESP. The 2009 conference raised issues about the stages
leading from non-specialisation to specialisation. In 2010 it seems appropriate
to move the focus towards the question of intersections between different ESP
discourses.

After spending so many years trying to define the scope of the various
discourses or fields so as to deal with each one individually, it may appear
antonymic to now propose that they should be considered collectively in terms of
how they could perhaps be brought together. How does this affect ESP? How do
various fields and discourses influence each other? Is it possible to envisage
the existence of a median or transversal discourse common to all varieties of
ESP? Could this transversality lead to the emergence of broader fields of
specialisation made up of specialised discourses which are necessarily closely
related?
These are the general issues which may be tackled from the four methodological
angles which have traditionally been adopted by GERAS:

Linguistics
A linguistic approach to the theme of the conference allows researchers to
investigate the similarities and differences at the intersection of discourses
in linguistic terms, including various levels of linguistic analysis and the
correlations between them. Two key issues are of interest here: which linguistic
features differentiate or bring together different specialised discourses? Which
particular types of intersection do we see in certain discourses?

Didactics
The intersection of specialised discourses is crucially important in language
teaching. The multiplication of genres in ESP (oral presentations with slide
shows, abstracts, research reports), makes new practices essential; what are the
implications for language teaching and learning? Can learner-centred teaching
contribute to defining different discourses? Can researchers differentiate
between discourses? Can the action-based approach currently advocated offer
solutions?

Culture
The intersection of discourses raises the issue of homogeneity in discourse
communities and discourse practices: how are cross-disciplinary or
interdisciplinary communities created? How are community members' identities
constructed? Which professional circles are concerned?

Technology
Technological innovation, and in particular the emergence of Web 2.0
collaborative tools (blogs, wikis, chats, etc.), is facilitating synchronous
communication. What new communities of practice are developing with respect to
these tools? In methodological terms, what new perspectives are being opened up
by the development of NICT in terms of exploring intersections between these
communities?

The above questions are intended as guidelines for researchers.
Other proposals related to the general theme will also be examined.

Calendar
- 15 December 2009: Deadline for submission
- 15 January 2010: Notification of acceptance

Abstracts
An abstract of 300 words, including a title and description of the content of
the presentation, should be submitted in English or French by 15 December to
geras2010 at unice.fr. The presentation should be given in the same language as the
abstract.





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