About | Fúinn

CALM’s research themes reflect increasing linguistic diversity in communities in Ireland, EU and globally. In particular, Galway was identified in the Census of 2016 as the most diverse city in Ireland, having the highest percentage of non-nationals and over 60 languages. This has significant impacts on education resulting in many multilingual children in some of the city’s and county’s schools. This requires applied research in linguistics and sociolinguistics related to different multilingual populations in order to be able to provide equal support and services for all (see for example http://www.bi-sli.org/).

Baineann téamaí taighde CALM leis an éagsúlacht theangeolaíoch atá ag dul i méid in Éirinn, san Aontas Eorpach agus go domhanda. Aithníodh Gaillimh i nDaonáireamh 2016 mar a chathair is ilghnéithí in Éirinn ina raibh an céatadán is mó daoine nach náisiúnaigh de chuid na tíre seo iad agus níos mó ná 60 teanga. Tá tionchar ar leith aige seo ar an oideachas mar fágann sé go bhfuil líon ard leanaí ilteangacha i scoileanna na cathrach. Dá bhrí sin is gá taighde feidhmeach sa teangeolaíocht agus sa tsochtheangeolaíocht faoi phobail éagsúla ilteangacha ionas gur féidir tacaíocht agus seirbhísí a chur ar fáil do chách (féach mar shampla http://www.bi-sli.org/)

An Ghaeilge | The Irish Language

Toisc go bhfuil Gaeltacht Chonamara ar leac an dorais againn, tá ceangal láidir idir OÉ Gaillimh agus an pobal Gaeilge is mó in Éirinn. Tá beartas dátheangach ag an Ollscoil agus baintear úsáid rialta as an nGaeilge i ngnóthaí acadúla agus sóisialta. Is réimsí spéisiúla taighde iad an t-athrú teanga sa Ghaeltacht agus an caidreamh idir cainteoirí dúchais agus 'nuachainteoirí', a bhfuil baint acu leis an ilteangachas, an tsochtheangeolaíocht, an sealbhú teanga, an t-aistriúchán agus an teiripe urlabhra agus teanga. Cuirfidh an taighde seo bonn tacaíochta ar fáil do phobal na Gaeilge agus tacóidh sé le soláthar seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge mar atá de dhíth faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla agus mar a mholtar sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. 

The proximity of Galway to the Connemara Gaeltacht links NUI Galway to the largest Irish-speaking population in Ireland. The University offers a bilingual environment where the Irish language is regularly used in academic and social life. Language change in the Gaeltacht and the dynamic of native and ‘new’ speakers are interesting fields for research in multilingualism, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, translation and speech and language therapy. Such research will facilitate support for the Irish-speaking community and the provision of services through Irish language as required by the Official Languages Act and proposed in the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language. 

Speech and Language Therapy | Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga

With respect to providing equal services to all, multilingualism has been identified as a key issue by speech and language therapy managers in the west and northwest of Ireland for two reasons. First, there has been an increase in the numbers of multilingual clients presenting at hospitals and clinics. Second, there are recognised challenges for speech and language therapists when assessing and diagnosing language disorders in multilingual clients and risks of over- and under-identifying such disorders. The Discipline of Speech and Language Therapy at NUI Galway has already developed research as well as national and international collaborations related to these issues (see for example https://www.litmus-srep.info/). CALM will further facilitate existing and promote new collaboration between researchers from the Discipline of Speech and Language Therapy and researchers from the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures in NUI Galway. An example of work conducted by NUI Galway that supports the local community is research conducted by the Irish Speech and Language Research group (NEART) related to the acquisition of Irish. These findings are then used to support the provision of speech and language therapy services for Irish speakers. 

Applied Linguistics | Teangeolaíocht Fheidhmeach

Examples of research conducted at NUI Galway in the area of Applied Linguistics include funded projects on digital literacies for language learning with a special emphasis on transition from second- to third-level environments; applications and benefits of audiovisual translation (AVT) for language learning in a variety of contexts from acquisition of lexicon and syntax, to enhancement of translation skills, to Activity Theory-based analyses of AVT task design; studies on contrastive prosodic awareness, competence and training; implications of technology for language teaching and learning, from online and blended learning environments to Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs).

Sociolinguistics | Sochtheangeolaíocht

Ongoing current research projects in sociolinguistics at NUI Galway include language policy from the macro- (i.e. the state) to the micro- (i.e. family) level; language ideology; language and society, particularly the contemporary linguistics and sociolinguistics of Irish and other Gaelic languages; language and identity; minority languages and language revitalisation; ‘new speakers’; minority languages in the media and language and socio-economic development.