Department of Social Linguistics

What do we do in our department?

Our research focuses on the relationship between the Slovak language and its users in the specific conditions in Slovakia. Noticing several sociolinguistic relations, we try to grasp and describe the language situation in Slovakia (i.e. the relationship of Slovak to other languages, users' attitudes to the language etc.). We are also interested in comparing our language situation in the international context - comparing dynamic sociolinguistic phenomena in other (mainly Slavic) countries.

The principal focus lies in the phenomena that create the dynamics in society: what resonates, polarizes (divides or unites), and reflects a broad social discussion. These are topics such as discrimination, gender equality, language correctness, language norms, language ideologies and cults, attitudes towards language, language policy, social values ​​and their expression in language, the language of hate speech etc. The state's communication with a citizen concerning its (in)comprehensibility also belongs among our interests.

In sum, we examine: how people communicate with each other; how they (non)verbally behave and act in individual communication situations in official, semi-official and unofficial expressions. We strive to describe and explain everyday language practices. We observe, analyze, and interpret the language used by people to achieve their (communication) goals.

Researchers:
Lucia Molnár Satinská, Head of Department

Júlia Behýlová
János Fiala-Butora
Júlia Choleva
Jaroslava Rusinková
Roman Soóky
Slavomíra Stanková
Jana Wachtarczyková

Contact: socioling @ juls.savba.sk

Ongoing projects

• When minority voices are silenced (VOICES)
• Language and Communication Aspects of Disinformation
• Vector representations of vague expressions in the Slovak language
• Linguistic reflection of the "new normal" values in contemporary Slavic languages
• Language In The Human-Machine Era

Finished project

• Discriminatory Instrumentalization of Language