Abstracts

 Keynote Abstracts

Jane Simpson
Speech, sign and writing; Multilingual repertoires over time in a small town

I trace the changing communication repertoires of Warumungu people in the Tennant Creek region since 1860.  Reconstructions of Warumungu social life before the invasion suggest that people lived in small family groups, with language repertoires that included Warumungu, a sign language, and knowledge of the language(s) of close relatives.  Marriages created bonds between estates, (whether Warumungu estates or neighbouring language groups). Several sisters from one estate might marry several brothers from a different estate, and in the next generation their children would marry people from a third estate.  Language use was place-dependent; it was polite to speak the language of the place one was in.  Knowledge of different languages was strengthened by occasional large gatherings of families and language groups for ceremonies which could last months. After the 1860 invasion, encounters with explorers, cattle-station workers, telegraph operators etc led to a new contact language, (Wumpurrarni English). During the 1930s gold-rush, Tennant Creek town was established, and government control of Warumungu people intensified. Many were forced onto reserves with other Aboriginal groups. Different languages, including Wumpurrarni English, were spoken daily, challenging place-dependent language use.  In the 1960s, increased compulsory education introduced a new means of communication,  literacy in standard Australian English.  In the 1980s recognition of likely language loss led to attempts to renew Warumungu, adding in literacy in Warumungu.  Today the language of schools, courts, shops, hospitals is primarily standard Australian English. Partly in parallel are Aboriginal-run organisations (e.g. medical service, legal service) where clients are freer to use  Wumpurrarni English, but where non-Indigenous staff are more likely to use standard Australian English.  Words and phrases from Aboriginal languages remain in Warumungu people’s repertoires, strengthened perhaps by changes in the streetscape to include signs in Warumungu and by adding social media as channels for communication which allow multilingual writing.

Sender Dovchin
The "Extraordinary Ordinariness of Translingual Writing in Australian Cities"

The "Extraordinary Ordinariness of Translingual Writing in Australian Cities" is an intriguing concept that explores how translanguaging practices, often seen as multilingual communication or language mixing, shape the everyday experiences of diverse communities in urban Australian contexts. It suggests that such practices are both extraordinary in their complexity and rich diversity, yet also ordinary, as they permeate ordinary daily interactions and social dynamics of urban people.

In Australian cities, especially those with significant migrant, Indigenous, and refugee populations, translingualism is a natural outcome of the intersection of various languages, cultures, and social settings. People from different linguistic backgrounds—whether Mandarin, Arabic, Somali, or Indigenous languages—engage in fluid communication that transcends the traditional boundaries of one language. This dynamic process allows for more inclusive forms of expression, often reflecting the lived realities of those who navigate multiple cultural and linguistic spheres.

Translingual writing in this context goes beyond simply mixing languages; it involves creating new meanings, identities, and connections, often in response to the societal challenges of multiculturalism, linguistic diversity, and inclusion. In urban spaces, such as Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth, translingual writing may emerge in community newsletters, graffiti, social media posts, or even public signage, blending words from different languages to convey ideas that resonate with local experiences. This phenomenon underscores the resilience and adaptability of speakers as they form bridges across different worlds.

The "extraordinary ordinariness" of this process highlights how translingualism is both a powerful, creative tool for expressing identity and solidarity, and yet a common, everyday act of communication. It reflects the shifting social and cultural landscapes of Australia, where linguistic diversity is a defining feature of urban life. Such writing challenges the idea of a fixed, monolingual standard and calls for a more inclusive understanding of language, where fluidity and hybridity are not anomalies but inherent characteristics of modern communication.

Adrian Vickers
Languages in the Australian Archive

The project Opening the Multilingual Archive of Australia, has been funded by the Australian Research Council for the last five years. The project has asked what difference a multilingual approach to Australian history might make, and whether approaches based on language are substantially different to those based on ethnicity or other criteria. The primary tool and outcome of the project has been the on-line participatory database, https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/, and it presents a number of key features of the project. First, that different topics, from the Australian goldfields to early stages of the Cold War, can be understood in terms of the simultaneous nature of sources in different languages. Secondly, our research tool allows topics to achieve new centrality in terms of how Australian history is mapped and periodised. Chief amongst these topics is incarceration, the interment of multiple forms of ‘aliens’ over extended periods beyond the era of convict transportation. Forms of settlement also reach beyond the nineteenth-century movement of peoples from Britain into the present day. In such processes, language learning, translation and recognition play crucial roles in shaping how people are seen as ‘Australian’ or not ‘Australian.’ 

Participant Abstracts

Kyoko Kawasaki (The University of Western Australia)
Policies and Practices at Japanese Community Language Schools in Australia: Translanguaging Amidst Two Monolingual Mindsets

Japanese is one of many community languages in Australia. All major cities with populations exceeding 100,000 have at least one community language school that teaches Japanese. Sydney, for instance, has more than ten, while Perth hosts the largest one with more than 400 students. The diversity of backgrounds within Japanese communities is reflected in the children attending these schools, including their motivations for enrolment and Japanese language proficiency. Some students have spent several years attending schools in Japan and intend to return in a few years. Others were born in Australia and grew up speaking English at home and in school, making it challenging for them to keep up with the classes at the community language school.  Considering the diversity, the school appear multilingual at first glance. However, the reality is that the children at those schools are situated within two monolingual frameworks: English-dominant Australian educational policies and the Japanese-only policies of the community language schools.

This study will analyse interview data from parents, teachers, and managers of Japanese as a Community Language (JCL) schools involved in an Australia-wide project commissioned by the Japan Foundation, Sydney. It will explore how their beliefs and language management interact to shape practice (Spolsky, 2004). The study argues that most schools adopt a strict monolingual (Japanese-only) policy, shaped by two prevailing ideologies: the belief that language learners should be immersed solely in the target language environment (Garcia & Otheguy, 2020) and the notion that Japanese should be able to use ‘legitimate’ Japanese (Motobayashi, 2020; Mulvey, 2020). Nevertheless, both at home and at school, translanguaging emerges as a significant practice, serving as a strategy for teachers to mediate monolingual pressures and as a means for children to ensure their voices are heard.

References:

García, O., & Otheguy, R. (2020). Plurilingualism and translanguaging: commonalities and divergences. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23(1), 17–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2019.1598932

Motobayashi, K. (2020). State management of bilingualism: a comparative analysis of two educational language policies in Japan. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23(10), 1175–1191.

Mulvey, N. (2021). Translanguaging as ideology: Responding to social and linguistic diversity in the classroom of Japanese as a heritage language schools in England. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 31(2), 236-259.

Spolsky, B. (2004). Language policy. Cambridge University Press.

 

Dr. Arum Kim (Korean Program - Asian Studies, The University of Western Australia)
When AI Joined the Writing Class: Translingual Practices of Korean Language Learners in an Australian University

This presentation investigates how Korean language learners at an Australian university experienced AI-assisted writing using ChatGPT. Situated within a multilingual university environment, the study examines how learners engaged with a generative AI tool during writing assignments, and how their interactions shaped their perceptions of AI technologies. Drawing on reflective essays written after completing writing tasks with ChatGPT, this study conducts a qualitative analysis of learner experiences. Findings reveal that learners moved beyond accepting AI-generated text at face value. They critically reviewed suggestions, edited wording, and restructured their writing to match personal intentions, linguistic preferences, and cultural appropriateness. Such acts demonstrate learner agency and the negotiation of meaning across multiple linguistic resources. These practices exemplify translingual writing behaviors, as students did not rely solely on a single language system but navigated between languages dynamically. Learners’ reflections further revealed nuanced attitudes toward AI—ranging from trust and enthusiasm to doubt and resistance—highlighting the complexity of human-AI collaboration in educational contexts. By analyzing these classroom practices, this presentation offers insights into how AI tools may reshape multilingual writing experiences and contribute to evolving notions of language, authorship, and literacy in the digital age.

 

Jiaji Zhang (University of Wollongong) and Associate Professor Xiaoping Gao (Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Family Language Policy in Australian Chinese Households: A Scoping Review

Family Language Policy (FLP) offers a critical framework for understanding how multilingual families manage language use, identity, and intergenerational communication. This study presents findings from a scoping review of FLP research, with a particular focus on the Australian Chinese community—a significant migrant group navigating heritage language maintenance in English-dominant urban environments.

Following Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) scoping review framework, this review systematically mapped international and Australian FLP studies to identify major themes, methodological approaches, and research gaps. The review highlights key areas including parental language ideologies and goals, home language practices, management strategies, and children’s evolving roles in shaping language decisions. It also draws attention to broader sociocultural influences such as educational contexts, peer environments, and community language support.

While many studies emphasise parents’ efforts to transmit heritage languages like Mandarin or Cantonese, challenges such as limited institutional support and dominant societal preferences for English often complicate these efforts. The review also finds growing recognition of children’s agency and the dynamic, negotiated nature of family language practices.

By consolidating insights from global and Australian contexts, this review lays the groundwork for further research into how Chinese families in Australia navigate FLP in everyday life. It also calls for more locally grounded, longitudinal studies that incorporate the voices of both parents and children. The findings underscore the need for inclusive language policies and community-based support that align with the lived experiences of multilingual families in Australia’s culturally diverse cities.

 

Hong Cai
Australia’s Linguistic Landscape: A Survey of Government Practices and Future Plans

This paper examines the current state and future plans for language use on public signage in Australia, drawing on a nationwide survey conducted in 2023–2024. The survey gathered data from 20 federal and state/territory departments and agencies, and 386 local government authorities. These bodies provided information on what languages are presently used in public signs under their jurisdiction (for example, whether signs are monolingual English or multilingual, and which languages appear), as well as any planned initiatives or policies to introduce additional languages on signage. Through quantitative analysis of the survey responses and qualitative insights from open-ended questions, the study offers an unprecedented overview of Australia’s linguistic landscape from a governance perspective. By focusing on official signage – the “top-down” component of the linguistic landscape – this research addresses a notable gap in the literature on Australian sociolinguistics. The findings illuminate the multilingual (or monolingual) nature of Australia from the perspective of authorities, revealing the underlying stances that influence their language choices and future planning.

Keywords: Australia; linguistic landscape; survey; government; languages other than English (LOTEs)

 

Elena Pirovano (University of Melbourne)
Multilingualism and Translanguaging Practices in Public Spaces: Languages Experiences in Local Libraries

Australia is considered a multicultural and multilingual country. With 29.1% of the population born overseas, Australians speak more than 300 languages including varieties of English (e.g., Australian Standard English, Aboriginal Englishes, etc.) and First Nations languages. However, the reality of multilingualism and multilingual practices is still viewed through a monolingual lens. Clyne (2005) coined the term monolingual mindset to describe monolingual attitudes and tokenistic ways of viewing multilingualism. Within this reality, this study explores how local council libraries are, or can become, a space for meaningful engagement with languages, and multilingual and translanguaging practices in public spaces. Libraries, by definition, are places where words, hence languages, are visible. From book collections in multiple languages to signage, from digital media communication to workshops and story time, libraries represent a space where languages, cultures and multilingualism become visible. While some aspects of multilingualism in libraires have been explored from the perspective of service providers and access to services in multiple languages, the perspective of local libraries as community spaces that could enable and generate meaningful multilingual practices has not yet been considered. In this presentation, I will share the stories of two libraries in one major Australian city. Taking a Linguistic Landscapes lens, I will start by sharing reflections on language and culture representations in the library physical space, book collections, displays, visual signs as well as in digital spaces (e.g., website and social media). Further, I aim to share my understanding on how libraries may (or may not) generate language experiences and how these experiences are created, accessed, manipulated, owned by multilingual individuals and communities that access library services.

Reference: Clyne, M. (2005). Australia’s language potential. UNSW Press.

 

Maria Rosaria Francomacaro
Unveiling Italian Street Names in WA

Toponymy and Odonymy are essential tools for the sense of identity in a community. Place names, and in particular street names (odonyms), are able to convert physical spaces into human places. Place names can unveil the relationship between residents and spaces, and they can provide insights about the perception the residents have of their role and position in the area where they live. Moreover, street names play an important role not only as descriptors of geographic locations but also due to their sociological, political and linguistic connotations. The use of street names in a Language Other Than English (LOTE) can add more information about the linguistic landscape of a geographical and anthropic region.

The presentation aims to analyse street names in Balcatta and Stirling, two neighbourhoods of the City of Stirling in Western Australia (WA), asking in particular to what extent and how odonyms reflect early and contemporary Italian settlements in WA. The typology and motivations underlying the choice of specific street names creation, and the category of toponyms and anthroponyms they belong to, will be also explored. Lastly, as the data are also collected through the web, the aim of this study is also to demonstrate that easily accessible data sets from freely available map data such as street names, convey usable information concerning migration patterns and the history of settlements in the case of European immigrants in WA.

References:

Giraut, Frédéric and Myriam Houssay-Holzschuch, The Politics of Place Naming : Naming the World (ISTE, ltd., 2022).

Government of Western Australia, Landgate, https://www.landgate.wa.gov.au/siteassets/documents/guides/survey-and-plan/apx-examples/1574-geographic-names-policies-v3-november-2020.pdf

Moretti, Matteo, ‘Mapping Diversity. The Memory Street Names Celebrate’ (2022) 15(23) Pad (Palermo) 86.

O’Reilly, Gerry and Gerry O’Reilly, Place Naming, Identities and Geography: Critical Perspectives in a Globalizing and Standardizing World (Springer International Publishing AG, 1^st ed, 2023).

 

Alice Chik (Macquarie University)
The Aftermath of Migration: A Linguistic Landscape Analysis of Multilingual Australian Picturebooks

People migrate for various reasons. Some people decide to migrate, and others have the decision made for them. Some migration journeys are internal and others are cross-continental. Some journeys are planned and safe while others are spontaneous and dangerous. Whatever the shape, length and condition of the migration journey, there is (hopefully) a settlement point where migrants may stay, settle in, or move onto the next leg of the migration journey. But what happens after migrants settle in a place, however temporarily? How do migrants change the places in which they settle? And how do existing residents react to these changes?
Australia is a migrant country and is also proudly multicultural and multilingual. Australia has a tradition of publishing multilingual children’s picturebooks. Many of these multilingual picturebooks incorporate themes of post-migration, which are frequently linked with the inclusion of multicultural characters, customs or celebrations. This study takes this inclusion of multiculturalism as a starting point and explores the urban environments portrayed in multilingual picturebooks. Using a collection of multilingual Australian picturebooks as the database for analysis, we adopt a multimodal linguistic landscape approach to critically examine the multimodal and linguistic depiction of urban space. Bearing in mind that most picturebooks are meant to be read aloud by an adult, either to or with children, this study incorporates analysis of both the textual and visual components of the linguistic landscape of multilingual picturebooks.
 

Natalie Edwards and Christopher Hogarth
The City and the Country: The Evolving Place of the Urban in Francophone Writing on Australia

French writers have long wondered about the faraway continent aux antipodes. Early contact between France and Australia spawned fictional imaginings of Australia. The first such text was Gabriel de Foigny’s humorous La Terre australe connue, which was published in 1676. The notion of Australia as an exotic, foreign other has persisted in the French literary imagination and has spawned many fictional texts. Céleste de Chabrillan’s Les Voleurs d’or is a salient nineteenth-century example. This is a swashbuckling, exaggerated depiction of Melbourne in the days of early settlement, replete with violence, intimidation, risk and revenge. The city provides the backdrop to many Francophone accounts of Australia in the nineteenth century, though these are accompanied by some consideration of the non-urban “country”, which often takes the form of the wild but potentially enriching Victorian goldfields (in the work of Antoine Fauchery and Oscar Comettant, for example). Yet the depiction of the Australian “bush” fascinated French audiences perhaps more than the city in the early twentieth century, as the writing of Paul Wenz contained tales of bucolic yet mysterious life in rural Australia in works such as L’homme du soleil couchant and Contes Australiens. More recent travel writing portrays characters moving between the city and the country. This paper will examine the role of the city as opposed to the country in a series of texts by Francophone writers long established in Australia and travel writers alike, examining attitudes towards urban areas often replete with multilingualism and drawing a comparison between these and portrayals of linguistic travails (including translanguaging) in non-urban areas. We will conclude with an attempt to contextualise the place of the urban in Francophone writing on Australia alongside that of writing on Australia in other languages, as explored in our recent 2024 collection “Australia’s Multilingual Literary Landscape” (Journal of Literary Multilingualism 2.2).