Mapping the research landscape of language use in study Abroad through a bibliometric lens

Research on the impact of study abroad (SA) on language use has expanded over the past decade, but remains concentrated in certain regions. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of publications from 2014 to 2024 to map publication trends and geographical collaborations and identify influential contributors and key themes within the discourse of language use in SA. Data were identified and screened from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases using the PRISMA framework. The final dataset utilized as the subject of this study included 149 articles. Using RStudio’s Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny packages, the analyses revealed significant increase in publications, with a peak in 2023. The findings also highlight the centrality of English in SA research, the influence of cognitive factors on language acquisition, and the impact of geographic collaborations on the research landscape of language use in SA. This study emphasizes the importance of student mobility and the need to examine international students’ language use experiences in SA from underrepresented regions. It also suggests further investigation of the evolving role of SA in language use and its broader contributions to intercultural interaction and global identity construction.