Applied Linguistics Permanent Section

  SECTION TITLE:  THE METROLINGUA FRANCAS OF GLOBAL URBAN SPACES

Chair & Co-chair: Dr. Peter Vakunta, University of Indianapolis and Dr. Kashama Mulamba, Olivet Nazarene University

Cities and languages are in constant flux in contemporary global spaces, as new speakers with new repertoires come into contact as a result of globalization and the increased mobility of people from rural to urban spaces. This has long-ranging ramifications for the study of metrolinguistics. Engaging with current debates about multilingualism, and developing a new way of thinking about language, this permanent section explores the emergence of new languages within a number of urban spaces, including cafés, restaurants, shops, streets, hair salons, construction sites, taxi ranks, markets and other places of conviviality and commensality in cities around the world. Please, submit a 250-word abstract and paper title along with your full names, institutional affiliation, and contact details (email and phone) to Dr. Peter Vakunta (vakuntap@uindy.edu) and Dr.  Kashama Mulamba (kmulamba@olivet.edu) by April 5, 2017.