News

New Frontiers in Corpus Linguistics Symposium

Corpus linguistics continues to evolve rapidly, shaped by new data sources, emerging technologies, and generative AI. This two-day symposium brings together researchers exploring spoken corpus design, register variation, digital health discourse, multimodal corpora, contrastive methodology, and the role of GenAI in language research. Talks span chatbot authenticity, collocational divergence through vibe coding, discourse patterning across languages and centuries, and the language of Gen Z Americans. A hands-on workshop introducing #LancsBox X complements the programme. This symposium offers both an overview of the field’s current landscape and productive directions forward.

New Book by Dr Hyejeong Kim Explores Aviation English as a Global Lingua Franca

This Element examines aviation English as a global lingua franca through the lens of communities of practice. Pilots and air traffic controllers involved in international operations belong to multiple communities, including local professional, broader local aviation, and international aviation communities. Their ongoing learning within these communities and the repertoire they develop – which influences their interactions – are explored. Against this framework, the inadequacy of the current internationally applicable language proficiency requirements is critically evaluated, alongside an analysis of four notable aircraft accidents that motivated these standards. The focus then shifts to analysing live radiotelephony discourse in abnormal situations, incorporating insights from domain specialists. Findings show that language-related aspects alone are insufficient; when combined with limited domain knowledge, it can lead to unsafe and ineffective communication. The Element highlights accommodation – both for linguistic and domain-specific – as a crucial skill in this intercultural communication context and recommends greater standardisation for handling abnormal situations.

Sharing Aviation English Research at IALCAER 2026

Amber Wang and Stephanie Tu participated in the International Applied Linguistics Conference on Aviation English Research (IALCAER), held at the University of Bayreuth in Germany from 26 to 28 June 2026. Joined by their supervisor and co-presenter, Eric Friginal, they shared research on two areas central to safer and more effective aviation communication: the language of maintenance documentation and the use of plain language in radiotelephony. Bringing together researchers and practitioners with a shared interest in aviation English, IALCAER provided a focused setting for exchanging ideas across applied linguistics, language training and operational communication. The programme offered opportunities to discuss how linguistic research and emerging research methods can respond to the communication demands of real-world aviation contexts.

International Summit on the Use of AI in Language Learning and Teaching 2026 (AIinLT 2026)

The Department of English and Communication at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University co-organised the International Summit on the Use of AI in Language Learning and Teaching 2026 (AIinLT 2026), held from 21 to 24 June. Organised in collaboration with the Education Bureau and the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, the Summit brought together educators, researchers, and professionals to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence in language education and professional communication. The Summit examined current developments in AI and their implications for language teaching and professional communication. Participants attended keynote presentations, joined panel discussions, and took part in practical workshops that demonstrated how AI can support language learning and classroom practice. The event also encouraged discussion of the opportunities and challenges that AI presents for communication in educational and professional settings, creating a valuable forum for knowledge exchange and future collaboration. For more information about the Summit, please visit: Press release: English - https://polyu.me/4eGeTmt Chinese - https://polyu.me/4eFa0Kw Online coverage: Bastille Post (English) - https://polyu.me/4epi6bm (English) Bastille Post (Chinese) - https://polyu.me/4w2ncjp (Chinese) Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4eCJO2W Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4oHfokF Dot Dot News - https://polyu.me/4xM6tCY Orange News - https://polyu.me/4oFZB5P Hong Kong-Invest - https://polyu.me/3SohBpd Sina HK - https://polyu.me/4w1jOp0

Advancing Forensic Voice Comparison and Dysarthria Diagnostics

Dr Bruce Wang’s work focuses on forensic phonetics and articulatory phonetics. In forensic phonetics, Dr Wang investigates the reliability and validity of forensic voice comparison. His work examines how speech features, recording and transmission conditions, sample duration, speaker sampling, modelling choices, and score calibration affect the performance and interpretation of voice-comparison systems. He has published work on likelihood-ratio-based evaluation, uncertainty in system performance, automatic speaker recognition, acoustic-phonetic features, and forensic voice comparison in Cantonese and other Chinese languages. He has also provided written expert opinions concerning the evaluation of voice evidence for court proceedings. His Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund project, The Role of AI in Courtroom Evidence Evaluation: Showcasing the Impact in Forensic Voice Comparison in Hong Kong (2026–2029; HK$986,808), examines the use and evaluation of AI-based voice-comparison evidence in the Hong Kong legal context. The project will consider how such evidence can be validated, calibrated, and reported in a manner that makes its strengths and limitations clear to legal decision-makers. In articulatory phonetics, Dr Wang studies tongue movement and tongue-related muscle behaviour during speech using ultrasound imaging, acoustic analysis, and quantitative modelling. His work includes ultrasound tongue imaging, analysis of articulatory space, and ultrasound measurement of speech muscles during articulation. His recent Young Innovative Research Award project, Tongue Skeletal Muscle Examination Using Ultrasonography as a Diagnostic Tool for Dysarthric Speech (2026–2029; HK$500,000), investigates the use of ultrasound to characterise tongue-related muscle and movement patterns in Cantonese speakers with dysarthria, aiming to assist speech therapists to develop more personalised speech intervention.

ENGL at the “Humanistic Dialogues in the Age of AI” International Conference, Tsinghua University

The Department of English and Communication (ENGL) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) sent a strong delegation of staff, researchers, and doctoral students to Beijing for the "Humanistic Dialogues in the Age of AI" International Conference, held from June 5 to 7, 2026, at Tsinghua University. The event brought together scholars from institutions across Asia, Europe, and beyond to explore how language, culture, literature, and education are being shaped by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. The conference was primarily organised by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at Tsinghua University, in collaboration with PolyU, the University of Exeter, Waseda University, and Newcastle University. The Exeter-Tsinghua Institute of Global Humanities also served as a co-organiser. This multinational partnership gave the conference a genuinely broad scope, drawing speakers and participants from a wide range of disciplinary and cultural perspectives. Speakers addressed themes including heritage languages and migration, generative AI and authorship, comparative literature, transcultural exchange, and the future of foreign language pedagogy. The ENGL delegation was led by Head of Department Professor Eric Friginal and Chair Professor Tony McEnery, who delivered one of the conference keynotes. Alongside them, a number of ENGL staff and doctoral students attended and contributed to the parallel sessions — a valuable opportunity for early-career members of the department to engage with current debates on AI in education and build connections with peers from partner institutions.The conference also carried particular significance for PolyU's Research Centre for Professional Communication in English (RCPCE). Known for its annual Talking Across the World (TAW) Symposium, RCPCE designated the Tsinghua conference as its flagship event for 2026 — a reflection of the centre's growing international reach and its commitment to fostering meaningful scholarly exchange at the highest level. The themes at the heart of the Beijing programme, spanning language education, communication, authorship, and humanistic inquiry in the age of AI, align closely with the research priorities of both ENGL and RCPCE. The delegation returned from Beijing with new collaborations to explore and conversations to build on.