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Language Awareness and Multilingual Workplace

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Language Awareness and Multilingualism

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

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Abstract

The use of many languages for work purposes is not new. However, in the globalized world, the unprecedented level of mobility of people and businesses results in complex linguistic landscapes. This constitutes the norm rather than the exception for employees. In this chapter we discuss multilingualism in relation to the workplace and present some early scholarship as well as areas open for future research. We draw on research related to European settings, which has been the focus of our own studies, but the phenomena we discuss are applicable to professional settings around the world. We discuss the relationship between language policy and language practice and provide the reader with a brief critical review of studies that have influenced the development of thinking in the area. Special attention is paid to issues around ideology and language practice as well as the problems for carrying out research in workplace settings. The multilingual workplace has attracted a lot of interest over the years. The fact that professional activity takes place in a cosmopolitan and transient context has generated considerable literature about the multilingual, multinational, and intercultural dimensions of the world work. It is common however for research to remain discussed within rigid disciplinary and methodological boundaries. The aim of this chapter is to bring together studies from different linguistic subfields and provide an overview of key issues and debates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Macedonia, 52 Peston street, 54453, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Ifigenia Mahili

  2. Centre for Applied Linguistics, The University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK

    Jo Angouri

Authors
  1. Ifigenia Mahili
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  2. Jo Angouri
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Correspondence to Ifigenia Mahili or Jo Angouri .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept Res Methods Education, University of the Basque Country Dept Res Methods Education, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

    Jasone Cenoz

  2. UPV/EHU - IKERBASCQUE, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU - IKERBASCQUE, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

    Durk Gorter

  3. Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, School of Critic, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stephen May

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG

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Mahili, I., Angouri, J. (2016). Language Awareness and Multilingual Workplace. In: Cenoz, J., Gorter, D., May, S. (eds) Language Awareness and Multilingualism. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02325-0_26-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02325-0_26-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-02325-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-02325-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Language Awareness and Multilingual Workplace
    Published:
    27 December 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02325-0_26-2

  2. Original

    Language Awareness and Multilingual Workplace
    Published:
    08 August 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02325-0_26-1

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