With cultural and linguistic diversity, migration, and constant change as defining features of contemporary societies, it is increasingly necessary to enhance our capabilities within multilingual environments. Reconceptualizing Language Norms in Multilingual Contexts offers a groundbreaking exploration of language practices and norms in the diverse and dynamic world we inhabit today. It challenges the traditional understanding of language norms as stable and stationary. Instead, it embraces multiculturalism and multilingualism as the norm rather than the exception. Drawing upon a wide range of methodological approaches, this book brings together a collection of position papers, critical reflections, and explorations by emerging and established voices in the field. It delves into how language norms emerge, evolve, and shape communication in both collective and individual contexts of diversity. By reconceptualizing language norms, this book sheds light on real and relevant language practices in multilingual and multicultural spaces, offering insights from the people who inhabit and navigate these contexts. This book critically expands on existing scholarly literature in intercultural communication, interlanguage pragmatics, second language pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics. It challenges the traditional assumptions about mono-cultures and mono-languages, creating space for a diversity of perspectives and arguments. Furthermore, it explores the implications of its findings for language education and language policy, paving the way for a more inclusive and nuanced approach to language in multilingual societies. While the content of this book revolves around everyday communication, its academic approaches and comprehensive exploration make it a valuable resource for graduate students, educators, and researchers in the fields of multilingualism and applied linguistics. By bridging the gap between language norms and multilingualism, this book seeks to advance our understanding of language practices in the increasingly interconnected and diverse world.
Sarah Jones is a seasoned language educator currently working as a course instructor and doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include interlanguage pragmatics, interactional sociolinguistics, and phatic communion in multilingual spaces. Rebecca Schmor is a PhD candidate, graduate research assistant, and course instructor at the University of Toronto. She has taught and conducted research with higher education institutions, ministries of education, and private language schools in Canada, China, Cuba, Germany, and Italy. Her main research interests centre around inclusive language education and plurilingual teacher identity. Julie Kerekes is an Associate Professor in Language and Literacies Education at OISE. Her research and teaching focus on language and power in intercultural institutional settings, and on the professional development of second language educators.
