International Linguistic Association

1. 58th Annual Conference of the
INTERNATIONAL LINGUISTIC
ASSOCIATION
April 12 – April 14, 2013
Kingsborough Community College, CUNY
Brooklyn, NY 11235
English—Global and Local
Plenary Speakers:
Janina Brutt-Griffler
Professor and Associate Dean, GSE
Foreign and Second Language Education
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Luis Francia
Adjunct Professor
Hunter College, City University of New York
New York University
City University of Hong Kong
Featured Panel
A team of language professionals from the United Nations will discuss issues
involved in using English in an international organization
Over the past half century, English has become more widely spoken across the globe, and
at the same time, multiple and increasingly distinctive varieties have emerged. Both
phenomena have given rise to questions and controversy. What accounts for the spread
of English? Is it to be considered entirely or mainly a product of political, economic, or
cultural imperialism? Or is it better explained as a result of social and economic change
at the local level? How do we account for the development of local varieties? How
should those varieties be handled in formal education and in literature? What is the
significance of English and the diverse English languages for the political and social
identities of people in different parts of the world? What are the consequences of the
dominance of English for the use of other languages?
Register at www.ilaword.org
SPECIAL RATE FOR UNDERGRADUATES: $10.00