The central aim of ISLE is to promote the study of English Language, that is, the study of the structure and history of standard and non-standard varieties of English, in terms of both form and function, at an international level.

We aim for the society to provide a geographically and theoretically neutral central contact point for all those who are academically active and who identify with this aim.

Although there are country-specific‘Anglistik’, ‘English Language and Literature’ or ‘Linguistics’ associations (and we hope to be in contact with these, where appropriate) there is currently no international umbrella organisation fulfilling this role.

ISLE formally came into existence at the first ISLE conference, which took place from the 8th to the 11th of October 2008, in Freiburg, Germany.