Institute for Social Linguistics

The Institute for Social Linguistics (ISL or ILS in Gaullican) is a research institute for the study of linguistics, located in Bazadavo, Dezevau. Founded in 1972, it is one of the foremost institutions in its field. It is known not only for its work on the interactions between language and broader society and its advocacy, but its breadth and depth of fieldwork. The institute is resourced primarily by governments and related groupings.

Operation

The Institute for Social Linguistics works internationally, and has many partners, affiliates and sponsors around the world. While its headquarters is in Bazadavo, there are established presences in xxx, yyy and zzz.

Governments and organisations which have contributed to or collaborated with the Institute include the Association for International Socialism, the Workers' International, the International Council for Democracy, the Community of Nations Commission for Cultural and Scientific Development, the Secretariat of the Community of Nations Social Committee, the government of Dezevau, the World City Studies Institute, and the International Institute for Social Healthcare.

Programmes

The operations of the Institute for Social Linguistics may be divided into programmes, or projects, focusing on particular tasks or ideas. Many represent the Institute's contribution to some other linguistic project, which may be more politically directed or distant from the Institute's descriptivist, scientific outlook.

Ongoing

• Brown Sea Community and Dezevauni Ziba Harmonisation Projects Liaison Programme – advising the Brown Sea Community and the Dezevauni government on their programmes to resolve issues around variation in Ziba while upholding social justice and language culture
• Dameda Maintenance Programme – documenting, advocating for, and generally the studying the Dameda language, an endangered trade creole based around Lake Zindarud
• Savader Language Programme – studying not only the Savader language, but other language use by Savader people (including dialects, code and sign), with a focus on Savaders' diasporic distribution, marginalisation and wide contacts
• Protection of Indigenous Linguistic Heritage in Vinalia Programme – programme in conjunction with the Vinalian Ministry of Culture, to protect, archive, and maintain the linguistic heritage of indigenous communities in the country
• World Language Maintenance Monitoring Programme – monitoring the maintenance and health of languages globally, including the notable ISL-WLMMP Status Classification List (also known as the Purple List)

Criticism

Criticisms levelled at the Institute for Social Linguistics at times have been that it is politically biased towards leftism, or that its funding and staffing are opaque and may introduce moral hazard. Mostly, however, these criticisms have not been made from within academia, and thus have not been so impactful.