Revue française de linguistique appliquée

Revue française de linguistique appliquée
Title	Revue française de linguistique appliquée
Discipline	Linguistics
Language	French
Abbreviation	RFLA
Publisher	Presses de la Sorbonne Nouvelle
Country	France
Frequency	Quarterly
History	1988–present

Revue française de linguistique appliquée is a French peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on applied linguistics, language pedagogy, second language acquisition, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics and discourse analysis. The journal serves as a platform connecting researchers from universities, research institutes and professional organizations across Europe, North America and francophone Africa. It publishes original research articles, critical reviews and thematic issues that link empirical work with language teaching and language policy debates.

History

The journal was founded in the late 20th century amid institutional developments at Université Paris 3: Sorbonne Nouvelle, the rise of applied linguistics departments at Université de Paris, and broader curricular reforms influenced by the Delors Report and European higher education initiatives such as the Bologna Process. Early editorial collaborations involved scholars from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Français, and language teacher associations like Association pour la Recherche en Didactique du Français Langue Étrangère et Seconde and Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée. Milestones include special issues responding to policy shifts after the Lisbon Strategy and comparative projects with teams at University of Cambridge, Harvard University, and University of Toronto.

Scope and Editorial Policy

RFLA covers research on applied linguistics topics ranging from classroom-based investigations to corpus studies and experimental psycholinguistics, engaging with methodologies practiced at institutions such as Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Université de Montréal, and University College London. The editorial policy emphasizes peer review modeled on standards used by journals like Language Teaching Research, Applied Linguistics (Oxford), and Journal of Second Language Writing, accepting submissions that bridge theory and practice relevant to stakeholders including ministries such as Ministry of National Education (France) and international bodies like UNESCO. Ethical guidelines reference norms employed by Committee on Publication Ethics and collaboration networks linked to European Second Language Association.

Publication and Format

Published quarterly by Presses de la Sorbonne Nouvelle, the journal issues regular and thematic volumes similar in schedule to outlets like Modern Language Journal and TESOL Quarterly. Formats include original research articles, review essays, commentary pieces, and special dossiers organized in partnership with conferences such as AILA World Congress and workshops held at École Normale Supérieure. The RFLA print edition is distributed through university libraries including Bibliothèque nationale de France and digitized collections used by platforms like JSTOR and institutional repositories at Sorbonne Université.

Indexing and Abstracting

The journal is indexed in bibliographic services comparable to Scopus, Web of Science, and subject-specific databases used by researchers at CNRS and INRAE. Abstracting coverage aligns with disciplinary resources such as ERIC and citation tools favored at University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. Inclusion in library catalogues and national bibliographies connects the journal to networks like HAL (open archive) and the catalogues of Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Notable Articles and Contributions

RFLA has published influential articles that intersect with debates in second language acquisition championed by scholars at University of Southern California, University of Pennsylvania, and Michigan State University. Noteworthy contributions address themes present in proceedings of International Conference on Second Language Acquisition and symposia organized by Société Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée. Articles have engaged with theoretical frameworks tested at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University, and with applied projects linked to ministries and NGOs such as Conseil de l'Europe and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.

Editorial Board and Governance

The editorial board comprises academics affiliated with institutions including Université Lyon 2, Université Grenoble Alpes, Université de Strasbourg, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, and international partners at University of Edinburgh and University of Geneva. Governance follows practices attributable to learned societies like Société de Linguistique de Paris and draws on advisory input from networks such as European Federation of National Institutions for Language.

Reception and Impact

RFLA is cited in policy reports produced for organizations like Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (France), and informs pedagogical guidelines referenced by teacher training centers including Centre International d'Études Pédagogiques. Its impact is measured through citations in monographs from publishers such as Presses Universitaires de France and in doctoral research across universities like Université Paris 8 and Université Aix-Marseille. The journal participates in scholarly debates alongside peer publications from Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and international conferences such as International Association of Applied Linguistics.

Category:Linguistics journals Category:Academic journals established in 1988 Category:French-language journals Category:Quarterly journals