On the afternoon of September 3, 2019, Professor Hildo Honório do Couto from the Department of Linguistics of the University of Brasilia in Brazil visited SFS and delivered a lecture.

Professor Hildo Honório do Couto is one of the leading figures in international ecolinguistics. He first visited the Centre for Ecolinguistics of SFS. Dean Huang Guowen introduced to him the history, research team and current academic achievements of the centre. Professor Hildo Honório do Couto spoke highly of the achievements of the centre.

Professor Hildo Honório do Couto gave a lecture entitled “Language as communicative interaction” in the Room 402. Some teachers, doctoral students, master students and undergraduates from SFS attended the lecture. The lecture was presided over by President Huang Guowen.

In the lecture, Professor Hildo Honório do Couto first questioned the “Language Tools Concept”, arguing that language should be regarded as ‘communicative interaction’ between people, rather than isolated texts, phrases or sentences. He then distinguished between the two different concepts of Speech Community and Language Community, and explained the communicative interaction of language at all levels and the communication rules and system rules that guide this interaction with easy-to-understand examples. Finally, Professor Hildo Honório do Couto introduced his theory of Ecosystemic Linguistics (EL). In this theory, he believes that the language is viewed from a holistic perspective, and that the language covers natural systems, mental systems and social ecosystems.

Professor Hildo Honório do Couto’s lecture inspired the teachers and students of SFS and this visit is also another close exchange between SFS and the international ecolinguistics circle.