World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Language in Society
H-index 6

Language in Society

0047-4045

Published by: Cambridge University Press

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-in-society

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Social Sciences and Humanities 939 15 16 5

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 18
Documents by Best Scientists*: 19
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 1
SCIMAGO H-index: 78
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.28
Impact Factor: 2.6

Overview

Top Research Topics at Language in Society?

Language in Society primarily tackles Linguistics, Media studies, Anthropology, Theology and Sociolinguistics. Most of the works presented in it deals with Linguistics but it intersects with the subject of Ideology. While Language in Society focused on Media studies, it was also able to explore topics like Classics, Art history, Religious studies and Humanities.

  • Linguistics (29.02%)
  • Media studies (22.54%)
  • Anthropology (16.15%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Language Style as Audience Design (1619 citations)
  • A classification of illocutionary acts (1417 citations)
  • What no bedtime story means: narrative skills at home and school (1203 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Language in Society:

The most cited papers focus on Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Social psychology, Discourse analysis and Conversation. Aside from discussions in Sociolinguistics, the most cited publications also deal with the subject of Epistemology which intersects with Ideology disciplines. Pragmatics, Style (sociolinguistics) and Media studies are some topics wherein Discourse analysis research discussed in the published papers has an impact.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Linguistics
  • Law
  • World War II

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The journal investigates studies in Linguistics, Ideology, Anthropology, Gender studies and Humanities. Studies on Linguistics discussed in the journal link to the field of Meaning (existential). It addresses concerns in Ideology which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Context (language use) and Prestige.

The Gender studies study featured in it draws parallels with the field of Ethnography. Humanities and Sociolinguistics are closely related fields of research discussed in the journal. Topics in Sociolinguistics were tackled in line with various other fields like Language policy and Media studies.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Modulating action through minimization: Syntax in the service of offering and requesting (8 citations)
  • Examining family language policy through realist social theory (4 citations)
  • Dissecting the language of elitism: The ‘joyful’ violence of premium (4 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Language in Society (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Einar Haugen (17 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Suzanne Romaine (16 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Janet Holmes (13 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Nikolas Coupland (12 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Nancy C. Dorian (11 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Language in Society (based on the number of publications) are:

  • University of Pennsylvania (131 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • University of Texas at Austin (61 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Georgetown University (54 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • University of Michigan (45 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition,
  • Victoria University of Wellington (41 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 1 less than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 38.37% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 13.21% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 7.55% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 22.64% of all publications and 56.60% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Benefits of Becoming a Substance Abuse Counselor

There is a ethical peripheral relationship between the study of social and cultural aspects of language and the practice of substance abuse counselling. For students or professionals engaged in the study of sociolinguistics or related studies, they may find an interest in considering a career in substance abuse counseling, as it offers a unique opportunity to apply knowledge of societal influences on behavior to help individuals in need. Substance abuse counselors work with individuals suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction, and other substance abuse issues, helping them address their problems and work toward recovery. They explain the harmful effects of substance abuse on individuals' lives and guide them through the process of breaking their drug dependency. Becoming a counselor in this field requires education, training, and often, state-specific certification. In addition to the fulfilling nature of the work, another key benefit is the growing demand in this field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of substance abuse counselors is projected to grow much faster than average for all occupations over the next decade. If you are considering this career path, it's important to understand the steps you’ll need to take, which can vary depending on the state in which you plan to practice. For instance, if you're planning to work in New Jersey, you can follow our step-by-step guide on How to be a substance abuse counselor in New Jersey. This guide provides comprehensive information about the academic requirements, necessary work experience, and any exams you'll need to pass to become a certified substance abuse counselor in New Jersey.

Top Publications

  • ‘Converse racialization’ and ‘un/marking’ language: The making of a bilingual university in a neoliberal world

    Mike Mena;Ofelia García

    (2021)
    22 Citations
  • Modulating action through minimization: Syntax in the service of offering and requesting

    Chase Wesley Raymond;Jeffrey D. Robinson;Barbara A. Fox;Sandra A. Thompson

    (2021)
    20 Citations
  • The prosody of other-repetition in British and North American English

    Elizabeth Couper-Kuhlen

    (2020)
    9 Citations
  • ‘I especially loved the little Nana dancing on the balcony’: The emergence, formation, and circulation of chronotopes in mass-mediated communication

    (2022)
    9 Citations
  • How categorization impacts the design of requests: Asking for email addresses in call-centre interactions

    Marie Flinkfeldt;Sophie Parslow;Elizabeth Stokoe

    (2021)
    8 Citations
  • <i>HOLLYWOOD</i>: The political economy and global citation of an emblematic language object

    (2023)
    3 Citations
  • Integrating qualitative and quantitative analyses of stance: A case study of English that/zero variation

    Timothy Gadanidis;Angelika Kiss;Lex Konnelly;Katharina Pabst

    (2021)
    3 Citations
  • Jan Blommaert and the use of sociolinguistics: Critical, political, personal

    Ben Rampton

    (2021)
    1 Citations
  • Sociolinguistics, memory studies, and the dynamics of interdisciplinarity

    (2024)
    1 Citations
  • Preventing the political manipulation of Covid-19 statistics: The importance of going beyond diplomatic language

    (2022)
    1 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For students interested in Social Sciences and Humanities, pursuing online degrees in counseling and psychology offers practical and flexible career pathways. Programs like nasp accredited school psychology programs provide specialized training for those aiming to work with children and adolescents in educational settings. These credentials are essential for gaining credibility and licensure in school psychology careers.

Similarly, online colleges for addiction counseling offer focused curricula to prepare graduates for addressing substance abuse and behavioral health challenges. This field is increasingly in demand, making it a promising option for those drawn to social services and mental health support.

For prospective students looking for a more accessible entry point, exploring the easy to get counseling degree routes can be a strategic step. These programs often feature flexible admission criteria and manageable coursework without sacrificing educational quality.

To accelerate career advancement, consider mft masters programs which offer efficient paths to obtaining a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. This specialization equips graduates with skills to support family dynamics and relational health across diverse populations.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal

Recently Published Articles