Cheryl Giesler (1993: 23) discusses the meaning of linguistic socialisation and the importance of this concept when it comes to research.

What a great term: linguistic socialisation!

Essentially this translates to being able to speak and understand the language of your discipline. That is, to become ‘socialised’ with the specific linguistic conventions of your field and to be able to understand the language used in articles, seminars, lectures and other academic publications.

To be able to place the language of your academic field and put it in the correct context is vital to your research. This is essential as all areas of research have their own meanings of text and it has the capability of changing across disciplines.

For me this concept of linguistic socialisation came ‘alive’ when I completed a street art tour in the Sydney suburb of Newtown. Melinda Vassallo, an author of Street Art, conducted the tour organised by a company called Cultural Scouts . Melinda walked us through the back streets of Newtown and showed us her ‘outside gallery’. She inspired us to see the importance of street art in the urban landscape, and the impact of artworks not confined to walls of a gallery: this is everyone’s gallery.

This understanding of linguistic socialisation resonated whilst Melinda was talking in artist/street artist terms which I could understand – not only the meanings and definitions, but also  the context. I am hoping that this is reflected  when I begin my academic research: this is likely to require a new vocabulary.

With understanding the linguistic socialisation of street art – both in practice and through research – I will be able to undertake my own research with a critical mind for I can spend more time exploring this field. It is this time in research where my concentration on the language is important for when I delve into my research I will be able to understand what i am reading.

Understanding this concept linguistic socialisation has allowed me to read and understand each article that I read for my research thoroughly. For if I do not understand a word, I am forced to understand the meaning for it will no doubt re-appear further into my research.

References

Geisler, C. (1993). “Literacy Among Experts in the Academy: The Academic
Professions”, Chapter 1 of Academic literacy and the nature of expertise: reading,
writing, and knowing in academic philosophy. New York: Taylor and Francis.
Pages 3-27