Applied linguistics may be defined as a field of activity where the aims of studying the forms and functions of language go beyond the study of language for its own sake. The applied linguist is not a 'creator of theories' but a 'consumer of theories' (Halliday), and is motivated by what can be done with linguistics in areas which lied outside the domain of linguistic science. There was a time when applied linguistics was synonymous with language teaching, but now all that has changed. The applied linguist exploits the gains of linguistic knowledge keeping in view the requirements of those engaged in various enterprises, who need such knowledge form practical reasons. In doing so the applied linguists also build up new perspectives and frames of reference for different areas within applied linguistics, areas such as stylistics, language teaching, literacy, translation, etc. Applied linguistics is interdisciplinary and integrativity: different approaches to the study of language and the insights gained therefrom are drawn together and reconciled, then dove-tailed with insights from different branches of human knowledge, to be functionally integrated into a composite whole. It is true that applied linguistics presupposes linguistics; it is equally true that applied linguistics helps in developing linguistic theory by providing insights from other disciplines. It enriches linguistic theory and provides a justification for its existence by spelling out 'conditions for its application', without which linguistic theory would remain arbitrary and independent of any experience.
The justification for the present volume is that it tries to highlight ways in which linguistics can find its 'fulfilment' through applications in different areas, enriching other fields and, in turn, being itself renewed and enriched.
We are grateful to the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, for their decision to publish this volume under their aegis.
R. N. Srivastava
R. S. Gupta
