AEE 2503: Language Expert Ingrid Piller Shares 3 Tips for Life in a New Language

This textbook combines perspectives from discourse analysis and sociolinguistics to provide an up-to-date, critical introduction to intercultural communication. Ingrid Piller explains communication in context through two main approaches: treating cultural identity, difference, and similarity as discursive constructions, and highlighting the role of multilingualism, language prestige, and access to languages in intercultural communication. The third edition includes topics such as intercultural business, school, crisis communication, and intercultural romance, emphasizing the importance of critical intercultural skills in a globalized and interconnected world.

This book examines the relationship between linguistic diversity and social justice, focusing on how language mediates inequality in domains like education, employment, and civic participation. It also discusses the global implications of linguistic diversity, particularly the dominance of English. The book won the 2017 Prose Award and the BAAL Book Prize.

Life in a New Language is a comprehensive study exploring the experiences of 130 migrants from diverse backgrounds who settled in Australia over two decades. The book uses data from six separate sociolinguistic ethnographies to illuminate the challenges and triumphs of language learning, cultural adaptation, and identity formation in a new country. It delves into the complexities of navigating a new language, finding work, and building family relationships while facing racism and identity-making in a new context. The research highlights both the significant hardships faced by migrants and their remarkable courage and resilience. The book offers valuable insights for language service provision, migration policy, and social justice movements.