Linguistisista

Linguistisista is a proposed interdisciplinary approach to the study of language that places everyday language use and social context at the center of analysis. It treats language as a living practice shaped by identity, power relations, technology, and culture, rather than as a fixed system to be described in isolation. The framework seeks to integrate linguistic description with sociocultural theory and data-driven methods to explain how languages and varieties emerge, change, and coexist within communities.

Origin and terminology: The term linguistisista blends “linguistics” with the -ista suffix implying a school of thought or community of practice, signaling a collaborative, practice-oriented orientation. It is used primarily in theoretical discussions and has not become a standardized label in mainstream linguistics.

Core concepts and methods: Linguistisista emphasizes language as social action, code-switching, multilingual repertoires, and digital communication practices. It favors mixed methods, combining qualitative ethnography and discourse analysis with corpus linguistics, network analysis, and computational modeling. Ethical reflection on representation, data privacy, and community impact is central.

Reception and impact: As a relatively new or hypothetical framework, linguistisista is discussed mainly in theoretical contexts and as a bridge between subfields such as sociolinguistics, lexicography, and computational linguistics. Critics caution that the label can be vague and prone to reinterpretation, while supporters see it as a useful umbrella for integrative language studies. See also sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, computational sociolinguistics.