Evolution and revolution in language and linguistics

Abstract The first issue of Nota BeNe explores the phenomena of evolution and revolution in language science and in language use. Linguistics has evolved over time, making it the versatile discipline it is today, and the field should continue to remain open to new perspectives and critically consider old habits and new approaches. Revolution, peaceful or violent, may emerge when it comes to questions of language, power and identity. The four thematic contributions in this volume discuss questions of evolution and revolution from different angles: by investigating attitudes on language change expressed in Austrian newspapers, by considering Francophone Belgian pupils’ performances in a popular national dictation contest, by unravelling the various denominations used in different domains to refer collectively to Canada’s First Nations, and by discussing to what extent a Dynamic Approach to language could be a more beneficial approach than the commonly adopted static perspective.