Dr. James G. Mitchell
- Professor
- Co-director of Core Curriculum
Areas of Expertise
Second language acquisition, popular media depictions of second language speakers and use, language pedagogy, applied linguistics, romance linguistics, French, Italian
Education
- B.A. in French and chemistry, Goucher College (1996)
- M.A. in Romance linguistics, Cornell University (1999)
- Ph.D. in Romance linguistics, Cornell University (2001)
What's My Why?
As someone who has learned to speak languages other than English, I have always been keenly aware of the way I am perceived when using my second languages. Because of this, my research agenda has been focused on the use of second languages and the portrayal of second language speakers in popular television and in other media in the U.S. as well as the attitudes these representations convey about the groups they purport to depict. My book, "Watching in Tongues: Multilingualism on American Television in the 21st Century," addresses the lessons these portrayals convey, both positive and negative.
Professional Experience
At Salve, in addition to my role as a professor, I have been assistant dean of arts and sciences, director of academic advising and chair of the Department of Modern Languages because I believe strongly in institutional service. I am currently co-director of core education. My interest in popular culture and language led me to become area chair of language attitudes and popular linguistics for the National Popular Culture Association, helping to organize conference panels for that section each year. Additionally, I am east vice president for Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. Several years ago, I gave the keynote address at the fourth Biennial Modern Languages Conference at Shippensburg University and, by invitation, I presented at the Institute for Humanities Research at Arizona State University. In March 2025, I was invited to lecture and present my research at Université Bretagne Sud in Lorient, France.
Selected Publications
Watching in Tongues: Multilingualism on American Television in the 21st Century. Vernon Press, 2020.
“‘What’s in a Name’: Language Ideology in Popular Culture.” Conference Proceedings, Bridges Across Cultures, 2 Feb. 2025, bridgesacrosscultures.org/2024-proceedings.
"Ain’t No Bones About It: Dialect Discrimination in Prime Time." Ain'thology: The History and Life of a Taboo Word, edited by Patricia Donaher and Seth Katz, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015, pp. 298-322
"How I Met Your Foreign Boyfriend: What Primetime TV Tells Us About Popular Attitudes Toward L2 English Speakers." Barbarians at the Gate, edited by Patricia Donaher, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010, pp. 224-240