Az MTA és az Alkalmazott Nyelvészeti Munkabizottság első húsz éve = The first twenty years of the Working Committee on Applied Linguistics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Klaudy, Kinga (2026) Az MTA és az Alkalmazott Nyelvészeti Munkabizottság első húsz éve = The first twenty years of the Working Committee on Applied Linguistics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. ALKALMAZOTT NYELVTUDOMÁNY, 2026 (KSZ). pp. 19-45. ISSN 1587-1061

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Abstract

The study presents the first five terms (1980–1999) of the Working Committee on Applied Linguistics, operating within the Committee on Linguistics of Section I of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). During the third and fourth terms, it was granted Full Committee status, while in the fifth term it reverted to Working Committee status, which it has retained ever since. These changes in designation reflect the struggle for the academic recognition of applied linguistics as a legitimate field of scientific research. During these twenty years, applied linguistics steadily increased in importance. However, gaining acceptance from scholars working in traditional linguistics proved to be no easy task. A number of new research fields emerged within applied linguistics, which was often met with strong skepticism by those in traditional fields of research. In this context, it was the professional prestige and academic weight of Academician Ferenc Papp, Chairman of the first Working Committee and later of the Full Committee, that proved to be decisive. His standing within the MTA enabled the development of new research areas and supported a younger generation of scholars through conferences, publications, and coordinated professional initiatives. The study outlines the main characteristics of all five terms: the composition of the membership, the agendas of the meetings, the topics of the presentations, and the key organizational issues discussed. Particular attention is devoted to the third and fourth cycle (1990–1996), as this was the period when the Working Committee was promoted to Full Committee status. This event, while seemingly only of interest for science historians, coincided with major political changes in the country and the complete transformation of the Hungarian higher education system. In October 1989, Hungary became a republic, and the one-party system was abolished. From the 1989/1990 academic year onwards, the compulsory teaching of the Russian language was terminated, and the retraining of Russian teachers began. During this time, a new Higher Education Act was being drafted, which was to grant universities greater autonomy. The right to confer scientific qualifications—specifically the PhD degree, which replaced the former Candidate of Sciences (C.Sc.) degree—was transferred from the Scientific Qualification Committee of MTA to the universities. These developments paved the way for a more prominent role for the Committee on Applied Linguistics, which was increasingly required to issue official position papers on ever more serious professional matters. A review of the activities carried out during the five terms shows that under the leadership of Papp Ferenc and Szépe György, the Working Committee and the Committee on Applied Linguistics responded promptly to the major socio-political changes of the period, including the linguistic aspects of Hungary’s preparation for accession to the European Union. Even before the introduction of the Bologna system, it recognized that in the two-cycle degree structure, which was to be adopted with a view to bringing Hungarian higher education in line with the European Higher Education Area, an MA programme in applied linguistics could play a key role and prepared the accreditation of such a programme. It also took advantage of the reorganization of doctoral education to promote the establishment of applied linguistics doctoral programmes at Hungarian universities. In cooperation with the Hungarian Association of Applied Linguists and Language Teachers, the Working Committee on Applied Linguistics launched the series of Hungarian Applied Linguistics Conferences—later Congresses—which continue to the present day. Through its sustained efforts, significant progress was made in the development of applied linguistics as an independent discipline with a solid educational and research infrastructure. Building on these foundations, the Working Committee on Applied Linguistics was able to continue its work successfully over the subsequent twenty-five years.

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