Becoming and Being an Applied Linguist

Becoming and Being an Applied Linguist contains narrative accounts of the lives of thirteen well-established applied linguists. Their professional autobiographies document the development of some of the key areas of applied linguistics – second, language acquisition, motivation, grammar, vocabulary, testing, second language writing, second language classroom research, practitioner research, English as a lingua franca, teacher cognition, and computer-assisted language learning. The book tells how these applied linguists grew into their areas of specialization. It will be of interest to any would-be applied linguist. The book also provides a readable overview of the whole field that will be of value to students of applied linguistics.

Luke Plonsky, Northern Arizona University:
A fascinating read on so many levels! Ellis’ collection brings us into the personal and professional milieu that laid much of the foundation for what applied linguistics is today. In this book, we find captivating human stories and trajectories – many that parallel and intersect with our own – spanning decades and streaking the globe, from Australia to Zambia.