Prof Thomas Tinnefeld

Dr Thomas Tinnefeld is a Full Professor of Applied Languages at Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar) in Germany. He is also affiliated with the Advanced Translation Research Centre (ATRC) at Saarland University. With a background in English and French philology and a doctorate in linguistics focused on legal and administrative French, his expertise spans a wide range of topics in applied linguistics, including languages for specific purposes (LSP), grammar and grammaticography, academic writing, language awareness, (meta-)lexicography, multilingual testing, and interculturality. Over the years, he has authored and edited numerous publications in English, French, German, and Spanish, often addressing contemporary challenges and innovative approaches in language education.

Since 2010, Thomas has held several leadership and editorial roles, including editor of the peer-reviewed, multilingual open-access Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching (JLLT). He is also the founding editor of the open-access Saarbrücken Series on Linguistics and Language Methodology (SSLLM), which publishes scholarly monographs and collected volumes. In the course of his editorial work, he has edited and overseen the publication of over 350 academic articles and book chapters. Reflecting his expertise and sustained engagement in language education and research, he was invited in 2025 by Star Scholars Press (USA) to serve as Series Editor of the Global Language and Linguistics Series, a comprehensive and interdisciplinary platform dedicated to exploring the multifaceted roles of language in society, culture, and education.

Alongside his research and editorial commitments, Thomas frequently acts as an external reviewer for doctoral theses, professorial promotion cases, and academic publications and research projects in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. His international engagement further includes visiting scholar appointments in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

As the founder of the biennial Saarbrücken International Conference Series on Foreign Language Teaching and convener of multiple symposia on French language and linguistics, he has made substantial contributions to academic discourse in language education. His scholarly activity has further been recognised through invitations to deliver keynote and plenary addresses at both national and international conferences. 

In 2022, Thomas was elected President of the Language Council of Saarland (Sprachenrat Saar), contributing to language policy and promotion as well as cross-border cooperation in the Franco-German region. In the same year, he was invited to join the Board of ICC–the International Language Association. 

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