Journal profile · Multiple
Language Matters
ISSN 1022-8195 · eISSN 1753-5395 · Taylor & Francis
Language Matters: CAS Zone 3 · Literature (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.13; JCR Q2 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; review about 113 days (first decision after review, publisher); acceptance rate 16% (journal website); 23 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Language Matters is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 3 of Literature in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Multilingual Education and Policy, Second Language Learning and Teaching and Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies, together about 39.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Language and Linguistics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The purpose of Language Matters is to provide a journal of international standing with a unique African flavour focusing on multilingualism in Africa. Although the journal contributes to the language debate on all African languages, sub-Saharan Africa and issues related to multilingualism in the southern African context are the journal’s specific domains. The journal seeks to promote the dissemination of ideas, points of view, teaching strategies and research on different aspects of African languages, providing a forum for discussion on the whole spectrum of language usage and debate in Africa. The journal endorses a multidisciplinary approach to the study of language and welcomes contributions not only from sociolinguists, psycholinguists and the like, but also from educationalists, language practitioners, computer analysts, engineers or scholars with a genuine interest in and contribution to the study of language. All contributions are critically reviewed by at least two referees. Although the general focus remains on multilingualism and related issues, one of the three issues of Language Matters published each year is a special thematic edition on Language Politics in Africa. These special issues embrace a wide spectrum of language matters of current relevance in Southern Africa. This journal is accredited with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training and is also listed on the Social Sciences Citation Index as well as the Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI).
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief Lawrie BarnesPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named South Africa 11, Israel 1 (12 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Multilingual Education and PolicySocial Sciences21.4%
- Second Language Learning and TeachingArts and Humanities10.1%
- Language, Discourse, Communication StrategiesArts and Humanities8.2%
- Linguistic Variation and MorphologySocial Sciences7.7%
- EFL/ESL Teaching and LearningArts and Humanities7.4%
- Discourse Analysis in Language StudiesArts and Humanities5%
- Linguistics, Language Diversity, and IdentityArts and Humanities5%
- Translation Studies and PracticesArts and Humanities3.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Literature Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Language & Linguistics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Literature Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Language & Linguistics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Literature Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Language & Linguistics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- JCR Q2 · best quartile · 2025
- CiteScore Q1 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
SSCIAHCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Africa Studies Abstracts Online, Current Abstracts, Humanities International Index, Linguistics Abstracts Online, Linguistics and Language Behavior AbstractsPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.13LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.2Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 1.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 1.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.38LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.38Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.26LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 1.26Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 34OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 156OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.84OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 16.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 9.8%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 21LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 13,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 628 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| 2025 | 23 | 11 | 11 |
| 2024 | 17 | 6 | 35 |
| 2023 | 22 | 7 | 73 |
| 2022 | 23 | 5 | 92 |
| 2021 | 20 | 5 | 82 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
113 daysfirst decision after review
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 16%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 36 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 113 daysPublisher website ·
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
Language Matters is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the discoverability and reader…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Peer review by at least two referees Model summary
All contributions are critically reviewed by at least two referees.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 1022-8195
- Electronic ISSN
- 1753-5395
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 57, Issue 1-2 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Language Matters
What CAS zone is Language Matters in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Language Matters is in Zone 3 of Literature, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Language & Linguistics / Linguistics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Literature. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Language Matters?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.13; CiteScore 1.7, h-index 34.
How long does peer review take at Language Matters?
The publisher reports about 113 days (first decision after review); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 16%. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What JCR quartile is Language Matters in?
The journal's website gives JCR Q2 (best quartile). JCR quartiles are Clarivate's to confirm and a different system from the CAS zones; in the CAS ranking the journal is in Zone 3 of Literature.
Where are the editorial board members of Language Matters based?
Of the 12 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are South Africa (11) and Israel (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Language Matters?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Language Matters is indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Is Language Matters open access, and what is the APC?
Language Matters is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .