Our research
The School of Languages and Linguistics is an internationally recognised hub for research in modern European languages and cultures, and in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, English as a Second Language and Language Testing.
Research projects
Explore a selection of Australian Research Council-funded and other research projects undertaken by academics at the School of Languages and Linguistics.
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Who is Nature?
Professor Adrian Hearn and Dr Steve Kelly have created a 360-degree interactive film invites you on a journey to five Latin American and Australian sites of ceremonial exchange with nature.
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Visual evidence: transforming modern sex research (1880s-1930s)
This project explores how visual evidence became a central means of communicating scientific and medical knowledge about human sexuality in an era of rapid technological change in the German-speaking world.
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French Wine Culture
Analysing wine as a product of regional, national and international geopolitics, Associate Professor Jacqueline Dutton shows that wine is so much more than fermented grape juice, especially for the French.
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Trust and Cultural Exchange
The Trust and Cultural Exchange project brings together 15 academics from a variety of Schools and Faculties to explore theory and practices of trust across history and cultures.
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Aboriginal language use in Darwin
Dr John Mansfield investigates how highly complex Aboriginal languages, traditionally spoken by small semi-nomadic clan groups, are used in an urban context.
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Language placement test review
The study focuses on the multi-method evaluation of a suite of language placement tests for seven languages embedded in an institutional policy.
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50 words project
This project aims to provide fifty words in every Indigenous language of Australia. We hope this will be a useful resource for schools and educational organisations, and for the general public to discover the diversity of languages around Australia.
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Getting in Touch: Bird app development
The Getting in Touch bird apps enable people to listen to recordings of language names for birds alongside photographs of birds and the sounds of their calls.
Research centres, hubs and units
The School of Languages and Linguistics hosts the Melbourne node of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, the Language Testing Research Centre, two research units: the Research Unit for Indigenous Language and the Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross-Cultural Communication, and the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence.
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ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language
We investigate how languages vary and evolve, and how we learn and process them. By understanding why the world's languages are designed so differently, we hope to generate scientific insights and exciting new technologies.
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Language Testing Research Centre
We're international leaders in the research and development of language assessment and language program evaluation. Established in 1990, we've worked on many major projects for institutions and government agencies throughout the world.
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Research Unit for Indigenous Language
We work with Indigenous communities across Australia and the region to expand and strengthen Indigenous Language research, and to support efforts by communities to maintain their linguistic and cultural heritage.
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Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence
We serve as a national hub coordinating research involving linguistics, law, and law enforcement. Our aim is to assist the courts in ensuring that language & speech in forensic evidence is used in the interests of justice and fairness.
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Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross-Cultural Communications
We research bilingualism and multilingualism, and share our findings with the community via regular free workshops for parents, teachers and others interested in bilingual education.
Explore more
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Research publications
This section contains a selective list of recent major publications (books and book chapters) in all our programs within The School of Languages and Linguistics.
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Discussion groups
Learn about our discussion groups on Conversation Analysis and Phonetics and Phonology.
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Research strengths
We conducts research into a wide range of language practices, covering through its subjects a diversity of times, places and themes which reflect the latest developments in language and linguistic practice.
Partner with us
The School welcomes research collaboration. Contact us to learn more about partnering with the School of Languages and Linguistics.