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Professor Farzad Sharifian

Director: Language and Society Centre
Convenor: English as an International Language

Photo of Farzad Sharifian

Biography

Professor Farzad Sharifian is a linguist with a multidisciplinary background in cognitive science, anthropology and education. He is one of the pioneers of Cultural Linguistics. He has developed a theoretical model of cultural conceptualisations and language, which draws on and expands the analytical tools and theoretical advancements in several disciplines, including cognitive linguistics, cognitive anthropology, anthropological linguistics, distributed cognition, complexity science, and cognitive psychology. This theoretical model and its applications in the areas of intercultural communication, cross-cultural pragmatics, second language learning, and political discourse analysis are the subject of Prof Sharifian’s monograph entitled Cultural conceptualisations and Language (John Benjamins, 2011).

Professor Sharifian is the founder of English as an International Language within the School of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics, Monash University. He is the Editor, (with Professor Ning Yu, Oklahoma University) of Cognitive Linguistic Studies in Cultural Contexts, book series, John Benjamins [flyer for this book series]. In 2011, he will chair the 17th conference of the International Association of World Englishes (IAWE) at Monash University (November, 23-25, 2011). [flyer for this conference]

Professor Sharifian has received multiple awards for his research, teaching, and postgraduate supervision, including Edith Cowan University's Research Medal and Award for Excellence in Early Career Research of the Year, Faculty of Arts, Monash University (2008). He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Australian Research Council at the University of Western Australia before joining Monash University in 2005.

Contact Details

Menzies Building (Building 11), Clayton Campus, Room W312
Phone: (03) 9905 1281 (international: +61 3 9905 1281)
Fax: (03) 9905 5437 (international: +61 3 9905 5437)
Email: Farzad.Sharifian@monash.edu

Mailing Address:
Professor Farzad Sharifian
English as an International Language
School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
Building 11
Monash University VIC 3800
Australia

Some Academic Awards & Honours

2008 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Early Career Research of the Year, Faculty of Arts, Monash University

2007 Award for Excellence in Early Career Research, Faculty of Arts, Monash University (Special Commendation)

2003 The University Research Medal, Edith Cowan University

2003 Early Career Award (Medal), Western Australian Institute for Educational Research

2003 Dean's Prize for Outstanding Research, Edith Cowan University

2002 Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Supervision, PGA, Edith Cowan University

2001 Award for Excellence in Research Leadership, PGA, Edith Cowan University

2000 Edith Cowan University Excellence Award

Areas of Research and Supervision

Australian Research Council (ARC) Grants

Sharifian, F. (2008-2010). Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Grant.
Project title: Aboriginal-English speaking students’ (mis)understanding of school literacy materials in Australian English.

Sharifian, F. (2003-2006). Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Grant and Australian Post-Doctoral Fellow (APD).
Project title: Cultural linguistics and intercultural discourse

Employment history

2011- Professor, School of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics. Monash University
2009-2011 Associate Professor, School of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics. Monash University
2007-2009 Senior Lecturer, School of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics. Monash University
2005-2007 Lecturer, School of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics. Monash University, Australia.
2003-2005 Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow (APD), University of Western Australia

Recent presentations available on-line

Sharifian, F. (2011). English as an International Language: An Overview of the Paradigm. EIL 2011 Lecture. Monash University.

Sharifian, F. (2011). Cultural Linguistics. Inaugural Professorial Lecture. Monash University. a short article-version of the lecture

Sharifian, F. (2010) Intercultural Communication in the New Era: Third Annual Language and Society Public Lecture. Monash University. Video of the lecture

Selection of Publications

Books

Sharifian, F. &  Jamarani, M (eds.) (forthcoming). Intercultural Communication in the New Era. New York/London: Routledge (Taylor and Francis Group).

Sharifian, F. (2011). Cultural Conceptualisations and Language: Theoretical Framework and Applications. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Sharifian, F. (ed.) (2009). English as an International Language: Theoretical Framework and Applications. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. table of contents

Sharifian, F. Dirven, R., Yu, N., & Neiemier, S. (eds.) (2008) Culture, Body, and language: Conceptualizations of internal body organs across cultures and languages. Berlin/New York: Mouton DeGruyter.

Sharifian, F. & Palmer, G. B. (eds.) (2007) Applied cultural linguistics: Implications for second language learning and intercultural communication.Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. link to Google books

Journal Issue edited

Sharifian, F., & Clyne, M. (Eds.) (2008).International Forum on English as an International Language. Special Issue. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics. 31 (3).

Description: Cover Picture of Australian Review of Applied Linguistics

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Sharifian, F. (forthcoming). Cultural linguistics. In C. A. Chapelle (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics.London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Sharifian, F. & Marlina, R. (forthcoming) English as an International Language (EIL): An innovative academic program. In. A. Matsuda, & P. Friedrich (ed).Teaching English as an International Language, Bristol: Multilingual Matters. 

Sharifian, F. (2011).World Englishes, intercultural communication, and requisite competencies. In J. Jackson, (ed.)The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication. New York/London: Routledge.

Sharifian, F. (2011). Conceptualisations of cheshm ‘eye’ in Persian. In Maalej, Z. and N. Yu (eds.) Embodiment via Body Parts: Studies from Various Languages and Cultures. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: JohnBenjamins.

Sharifian. F. & Jamarani, M. (2011). Cultural schemas in intercultural communication: A study of Persian cultural schema of sharmandegi 'being ashamed'. Intercultural Pragmatics. 8(2), 227-251.

Sharifian, F. (2010). Cultural conceptualizations in intercultural communication: a study of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. Journal of Pragmatics, 42, 3367-3376. download prepublished version

Sharifian, F. (2010). Semantic and pragmatic conceptualisations in an emerging variety: Persian English. In A. Kirckpatrick (ed.) Routledge Handbook of World Englishes. New York/London: Rutledge.

Sharifian, F. (2010). Glocalization of English in World Englishes: An emerging variety among Persian speakers of English. In T Omoniyi & Mukul Saxena (eds.) Contending with globalisation in World Englishes. Clevedon,UK:Multilingual Matters.

Sharifian, F. (2009). Figurative language in international political discourse: The case of Iran. Journal of Language and Politics. 8(3), 416–432.

Sharifian, F. (2009). On collective cognition and language.In H. Pishwa (ed.) Language and Social Cognition: Expression of Social Mind. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter. [download current version]

Sharifian, F. (2009). English as an International Language: An overview. In F. Sharifian (ed.) English as an International Language: Perspectives and pedagogical issues.Bristol, UK : Multilingual Matters.

Sharifian, F. (2009). Cultural conceptualisations in English as an International Language. In F. Sharifian (ed.) English as an International Language: Perspectives and pedagogical issues.Bristol, UK : Multilingual Matters.

Sharifian, F. & Clyne, M. (2008) English as an International Language: Synthesis. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics.31 (3),pp. 36.1–36.19. link

Clyne, M. G. and Sharifian, F. (2008) English as an International Language: Challenges and possibilities. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics. 31 (3),pp. 36.1–36.19. link

Sharifian, F. (2008). Aboriginal English in the classroom: An asset or a liability? Language Awareness. 17(2), 131-138

Sharifian, F. (2008). Cultural model of Home in Aboriginal children’s English. In G. Kristiansen. & R. Divern (eds.), Cognitive Sociolinguistics. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

Sharifian, F. (2008) Conceptualizations of del ‘heart-stomach’ in Persian. In F. Sharifian, Dirven, R., Yu, N., & Niemeier, S. (eds.), Body, culture, and language: Conceptualisations of heart and other internal body organs across languages and cultures. Berlin/New York: Mouton De Gruyter.

Sharifian, F., Dirven, R., Yu, N. & Niemeier, S. (2008).Culture and Language: Looking for the Mind inside the Body. In F. Sharifian, Dirven, R., Yu, N., & Niemeier, S. (eds.) Body, culture, and language: Conceptualisations of heart and other internal body organs across languages and cultures. Berlin/New York: Mouton De Gruyter.

Sharifian, F. (2008). Cultural schemas in L1 and L2 compliment responses: A study of Persian-speaking learners of English. Journal of Politeness Research. 4(1), 55-80.

Sharifian, F. (2008). Distributed, emergent cultural cognition, conceptualisation, and language. In R. M.Frank, R. Dirven, T. Ziemke, & E. Bernandez (eds.) Body, language, and mind (Vol. 2): Sociocultural situatedness. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter (109-136).

Sharifian, F. (2007). Politics and/of translation: Case studies between English and Persian. Journal of Intercultural Studies. 28(4), 413-424.

Sharifian, F.& Lotfi, A. R. (2007). "When stones falls": A conceptual-functional account of subject-verb agreement in Modern Persian. Language Sciences. 29(6), 787-803.

Sharifian, F. (2007). L1 cultural conceptualisations in L2 learning. In F. Sharifian, & G. B. Palmer (eds.) Applied cultural linguistics: Implications for second language learning and intercultural communication. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Palmer, G. B. & Sharifian, F. (2007). Applied cultural linguistics: An emerging paradigm. In F. Sharifian & G. B. Palmer (eds.) Applied cultural linguistics: Implications for second language learning and intercultural communication.Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Sharifian, F. (2007). Aboriginal Language Habitat and cultural continuity. In G. Leitner& I. G. Malcolm, The habitat of Australia's Aboriginal languages. Berlin/New York: Mouton De Gruyter.

Malcolm, I. G. & Sharifian. F. (2007). Multiwords in Aboriginal English. In P. Skandera (Ed.), Phraseology and culture in English. Berlin/New York: Mouton De Gruyter.

Sharifian, F. (2006). A cultural-conceptual approach and world Englishes: The case of Aboriginal English. World Englishes. 25(1),11-22.

Sharifian, F. (2005). The Persian cultural schema of shekasteh-nafsi: A study of complement responses in Persian and Anglo-Australian speakers. Pragmatics & Cognition. 13(2), 337-361.

Malcolm, G. I. & Sharifian, F. (2005). Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue: Australian Aboriginal students' schematic repertoire. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 26(6), 512-532. Abstract

Sharifian, F. (2005). Cultural conceptualisations in English words: A study of Aboriginal children in Perth. Language and Education. 19(1), 74-88. Abstract

Sharifian, F., Rochecouste, J, & Malcolm, I. G. (2004). "It was all a bit confusing ...": Comprehending Aboriginal English texts. Language, Culture, and Curriculum. 17(3), 203-228. abstract

Sharifian, F. (2004). Cultural schemas and intercultural communication: A study of Persian. In J. Leigh & E. Loo. Outer limits: A reader in communication across cultures (pp. 119-130). Melbourne: Language Australia CAE Press.

Sharifian, F. & Malcolm, I. G. (2003).The use of pragmatic marker like in English teen talk: Australian Aboriginal usage.Pragmatics & Cognition 11 (2), 327-344.

Sharifian, F. & Lotfi, A. R. (2003). Rices and waters: The Mass/count distinction in Modern Persian. Anthropological Linguistics, 45(2), 226-244.

Sharifian, F. (2003). On cultural conceptualisations. Journal of Cognition and Culture, (3) 3, 187-207.

Sharifian, F. (2002). Processing hyponymy in L1 and L2. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, (31)4, 421-436.

Malcolm, I. G. & Sharifian, F. (2002). Aspects of Aboriginal English oral discourse: An application of cultural schema theory. Discourse Studies, 4(2), 169-181.

Sharifian, F. (2002). Memory Enhancement in Language Pedagogy: Implications from Cognitive Research. TESL-EJ, 6(2), A2. Available at http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume6/ej22/ej22a2/

Sharifian, F. (2002). Chaos in Aboriginal English discourse. In A. Kirkpatrick (Ed.) Englishes in Asia: Communication, identity, power and education (pp. 125-141), Melbourne: Language Australia.

Sharifian, F. (2001). Schema-based processing in Australian speakers of Aboriginal English. Language and Intercultural Communication, 1(2), 120-134. Abstract

In Memoriam articles

Sharifian, F. & Sussex, R. (2010) Michael George Clyne (1939-2010): Scholar and champion of languages. Current Issues in Language Planning, 11(4), 371-377.

Sharifian, F. (2010). Michael Clyne (1939-2010). Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 31(6), 513. (Routledge: Taylor and Francis)

Articles in special journal sections

Sharifian, F. (2011). "They felt sorry about our Sorry": Indigenising English by Aboriginal Australians. Asian Englishes, 14(1). 70-73. [section of Asian Englishes at Large].  

PhD Supervision (as main supervisor)

Completed

1) 2007- 2011. Advice Speech-Act in Persian as a First Language and English as a Second Language: A Study of Iranian Students (Mahshad Davoodifard)

2) 2007-2011. Compliments and Compliment Responses: A study of ESL Malay undergraduates (Nor Suharti Abdol Karim

3) 2008-submitted. Perceptions of and Attitudes towards English: A Study of Staff and Students at Yogyakarta Universities (Anita Dewi)

Current

1) 2008-in progress. The Status of English as an International Language in Malaysia: Perceptions and attitudes of language educators and language learners in tertiary educational institutions (Fatimah Binti Ali)

2) 2008-in progress. Media discourse and the construction of the "other": A case study of indigenous representation in Australian media (Bryan Fricker)

3) 2008-in progress. Exploring the Influence of Instructor Presence on EFL Students’ Interactions in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) (Ali Alamir)

4) 2009-in progress. An Analysis of Mythical Typologies in the Avesta texts and their Zand (Amir Ahmadi)

5) 2009-in progress. Refusal strategies of Persian-speaking learners of English and Australian English speakers: A cross-cultural study (Homa Babai)

6) 2010-in progress. Corpus-Based Discourse Study of Attentional Semantics of the Representation of ‘Islam/Arab/Muslims’ in the Australian Press before and after 9/11 (Ahlam Al Harbi)

7) 2011-in progress. Email communication and perceptions of politeness among staff and students. (Hyejeong Ahn)

8) 2011-in progress. Address terms in Persian: A cultural linguistic study. (Samira Sarshogh)

Further information

Further information on Professor Sharifian (publications, current research, etc.) can be found on his home page:
http://sites.google.com/site/professorfarzadsharifian/

 

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