The present collection of articles, Studies in French Applied Linguistics, serves as the continuation of Dalila Ayoun's 2007 edited volume, French Applied Linguistics (also published by John Benjamins in the Language Learning and Language Teaching series, vol. 16). The contributions aim to ‘showcase French’ and to ‘explore lesser known but growing subfields’ of applied linguistics (ix). To be sure, some of the topics addressed in the volume, such as first and second language acquisition, language learning in immersion settings, and computer-assisted language learning, are already well represented in the applied linguistics literature, though French has perhaps received somewhat less attention than other languages. Other topics, however, such as new literacies, language policy, and forensic linguistics, are, in comparison, rather under-represented in the field.
The chapters in Studies in French Applied Linguistics are divided into two parts. Part One, ‘First and Second Language Acquisition,’ comprises the first five chapters. Topics include French immersion in Canada (R. Lyster), language processing and production from a neurolinguistic perspective (M. Laganaro), natural language processing tools in computer-assisted language learning (M.-J. Hamel), specific language impairment and the acquisition of French as a first language (C. Jakubowicz and L. Tuller), and first language acquisition from a generative perspective (C. Haman). Part Two, ‘French in Applied Linguistics,’ includes six chapters dealing with diverse topics in applied linguistics beyond language acquisition. Three chapters deal with issues of language policy, planning, and politics, including the role and status of French in North Africa (F. Aitsiselmi and D. Marley), Kréyòl in Guadeloupe (K. Managan), and language planning in Quebec (L. Oakes). The remaining chapters include discussions of literacy and new (networked) technologies in language teaching and learning (R. Kern), forensic linguistics (D. A. Kibbee), and urban youth vernaculars in France (T. Pooley).
As a whole, the volume is well worth reading and serves, along with Ayoun (Reference Ayoun2007), as an excellent resource for readers interested in French applied linguistics. Not only are the contributions informative, but the diversity of subjects addressed highlights the multi- and transdisciplinarity of a field that is constantly seeking an identity and role in research and practice (Kramsch, Reference Kramsch2000). However, there are a number of issues that take away from the project as a whole.
First, from the beginning of Ayoun's preface (ix-x), the reader gets the impression that this volume is really the second half of Ayoun (Reference Ayoun2007), and that it only appeared as a separate volume for whatever reason(s) (e.g., book length, timeline) as dictated by the publisher, John Benjamins. For instance, beyond the two-page preface, there is no editor's introduction situating the 2008 volume within applied linguistics and French language studies. Instead, the reader is referred to Ayoun (Reference Ayoun2007) for Ayoun's introduction and R. A. Lodge's overview of the history of the French language. The result is a more-or-less ‘direct launch’ into the contributions, which seems rather strange from the reader's perspective. At the same time, the diversity of topics is simultaneously one of the strengths of the volume and one of its weaknesses. Transitions from topic to topic can be abrupt for the reader, especially since there is no introduction from the editor to contextualize the contributions.
Second, and on a more practical level, is the cost of the book (and since this is the continuation of Ayoun's previous volume, the combined cost of the books). Hardbound copies of each volume sell for €105/$158, and there is no (cheaper) softcover version available. Even though an e-book version (i.e., as a PDF file) can be purchased, the price remains the same, despite the fact that competing publishers typically offer a reduced rate for electronic versions of their books. As a result, the reader interested in the project as a whole (i.e., both volumes) faces a total cost of €210/$316, which may be prohibitive for some people, especially (post)graduate students in applied linguistics. Of course, this is not Ayoun's fault, but rather a problem with Benjamins. Unfortunately, it seems that both volumes have been marketed for sale to university libraries as opposed to individual readers.
Overall, I do like the volume and its contents, which I expect to make an important contribution to the field of (French) applied linguistics. Students, teaching faculty, and researchers will most likely find many of the contributions of useful, and they may even discover new fields of interest in applied linguistics.
