Complex Systems and Applied Linguistics

Accessible introduction to rapidly growing field of interest across disciplines. Explains key constructs: chaos; complexity; dynamic systems; emergence etc. Demonstrates applications to areas of applied linguistics. Illustrates how complex systems thinking can challenge established ideas. Discusses implications for theory, research, and practice.Introduces key concepts in complex systems theory to readers concerned with language, its acquisition, and its use. Complex Systems and Applied Linguistics demonstrates the applicability and usefulness of these concepts to a range of areas in applied linguistics including second language development, language teaching, and discourse analysis. It concludes with a chapter that inventories suitable approaches to research investigations.