School of Languages and Applied Linguistics
Teaching | Research | Our staff | Explore our faculty | Contact us
At the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics (SLAL), our research explores how language and linguistics are used in certain contexts, and how they relate to phenomena such as power, class or status.
In our globalised society, understanding how we communicate is increasingly important in meeting the demands of international business, tackling global crises and giving marginalised people a voice.
We have three principles underpinning our work: a global perspective, high quality learning and teaching, and personalised support for students.
Teaching
We belong to a long-established global community, made up of students, staff and partner organisations. This is a multicultural environment where everyone is welcome. Our students have opportunities to understand, work and learn from others, and they graduate equipped with the skills and intercultural awareness to live and work in a global community.
We're highly-experienced in teaching modern languages, communication, translation, linguistics, interpretation, international business and English as an additional language.
We're the hub for the University of Portsmouth's language learning and give language classes to students across the University through the Institution Wide Language Programme (IWLP). Students who have never studied a language can learn one for free on the programme. We offer 8 languages: Arabic, British Sign Language, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese
We deliver a BALEAP-accredited Pre-Sessional English programme which supports hundreds of international students every year to improve their English language skills, so they can study at the University. We also offer annual 2-week Summer Schools – which combine English Language development, team activities and cultural visits – for international students who are considering studying in the UK.
We also invest in the latest technology to support our teaching and learning, including our specialist Learning Resource Centre, Language Laboratories and Televic Interpreter Training Suite.
To see all the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees we offer, visit the Languages subject area page. Or read about postgraduate research opportunities on our Languages and Linguistics postgraduate research degrees page.
Research
We're investigating how language and linguistics can act as drivers of development in the economy and social structure, how global organisations use multiple languages and specific translations every day, and how language is used to express ideas and empower certain groups of people.
Our research feeds into our teaching, so our undergraduate and postgraduate students benefit from our work.
We also work with business, government and the local community to improve their communication skills, language competences, and use of educational technologies. We’ve worked on a variety of consultancy and knowledge transfer projects including:
- a medical English project with the NHS
- research on lecturing to international students
- schools liaison
- translation academic seminars and professional workshops
- corpus linguistics projects, such as the 'Using Corpora in Translation' webinar for online professional development
- multimedia and electronic learning packages
- a large teacher training contract with a south Asian country, in partnership with several UK and overseas institutions
- an English language and pedagogy course for Panamanian teachers
If you’d like to discuss working on a project with us, or you’d like further information about our consultancy offering, please contact us at slaladmin@port.ac.uk.
Our areas of expertise
Across the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, our research covers the following 6 areas of expertise.
Our research centres
Much of our exceptional research takes place within the following cross-disciplinary research centre – find out more below.
Our staff
Dr Stephen Corbett
- Job Title Interim Head of School
- Email Address stephen.corbett@port.ac.uk
- Department School of Area Studies History Politics and Literature
- Faculty Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Mrs Felicity Hughes
- Job Title Associate Head (Students)
- Email Address Felicity.Hughes@port.ac.uk
- Department School of Languages and Applied Linguistics
- Faculty Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Mrs Carmen Pasamar Marquez
- Job Title Associate Head (Academic)
- Email Address Carmen.Pasamar@port.ac.uk
- Department School of Languages and Applied Linguistics
- Faculty Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr Mario Saraceni
- Job Title Reader, English and Linguistics; Associate Head (Research)
- Email Address Mario.Saraceni@port.ac.uk
- Department School of Languages and Applied Linguistics
- Faculty Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Explore our faculty
Explore the other Schools and Departments that make up our Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Contact us
To get in touch, please contact our Faculty office.
Phone: +44 (0)23 9284 2992
Email: hss-enquiries@port.ac.uk
University Coronavirus Information Line
We're preparing to reopen the campus ready for the new academic year starting on 5 October 2020.
We have set up an information line to manage enquiries from students, parents and guardians, as university life will be a little different in 2020/21 due to the Coronavirus.
Email: infoline@port.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)23 9284 5588
The phone line is open Monday–Thursday 8.30am–5.00pm, Friday 8.30am–4.00pm and Saturday–Sunday 10.00am-4.00pm.