In the last decades contacts between Asian and European countries have intensified in many areas: research, education, business, culture and tourism. With the rapid growth in human mobility, technological developments, business opportunities, and the hegemony of English, we are witness to major changes eroding the historical frames of social, cultural and linguistic reference. However, in many European countries, including Poland, cross-cultural language studies and education are still based on the canonic literature reinforcing the traditional divide between 'Western' and 'Oriental' systems of values.

The purpose of this conference is to revisit the key assumptions behind the traditional 'Oriental' (East-Asian) and 'Western' (European) models of communication, with a focus on areas of interest for applied linguists, i.e.: text and genre organization, discourse strategies and ideologies, social interaction principles, and context and user characteristics. Are the new realities, challenges and expectations leading to the emergence of new styles of communication, patterns of social interaction, or types of social positioning on others? Does global multilingualism call for a redefinition of self- and group concepts in both cultural environments? What consequences does it imply for research and educational programs in cross-cultural communication, translation and language pedagogy?

The conference aims to bring together scholars interested in broadly defined interdisciplinary studies of East-Asian and European discourses. Its ultimate goals are to settle the key areas of difference and to develop the key guidelines for coordinate language research and education in the fields of applied linguistics, contrastive (discourse) grammars, specialist discourse analysis, critical discourse analysis, translation theory and practice as well as foreign language teaching.

Invited speakers who have already confirmed their attendance:

Professor Hailong Tian (Tianjin Foreign Studies University): Difference of discourse systems and cross-cultural communication: Observing Chinese politicians' speeches in other cultural settings

Professor Issac Yue (University of Hong Kong): What's for dinner? Gastronomy as a linguistic genre and its translational implications

Professor Adam Jaworski (University of Hong Kong): Translating Chinese tourists abroad: Language, culture and the de-centering of global mobility

Professor Romuald Huszcza (University of Warsaw): To be announced

Professor Arkadiusz Jabłoński (Adam Mickiewicz University): To be announced

Call for papers

We invite proposals for 20-minute presentations in the areas of comparative culture studies, (critical) discourse studies, contrastive rhetoric, specialist genre analysis, translation and language teaching with a focus on Asian-European points of encounter. Abstracts of 300 words should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 30 May 2014.

Conference fee

The conference fee of PLN 200 (€50) covers conference materials, coffee break refreshments and an evening reception on 16 October. Payment instructions and suggestions for accommodation will be provided in the second circular.

Contact information

Dr Agnieszka Leńko (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Dr Jarosław Pietrow (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Institute of Applied Linguistics,

University of Warsaw

Dobra 55, 00-512 Warsaw