Abstract
Interactions between autistic and non-autistic people are often characterized by misunderstanding and a ‘double empathy problem’ (Milton, Gurbuz, and López 2022). Thus, there is a need for applied linguistics research that seeks to concretely address and improve these communication barriers and lead to more positive and equitable interactions. In this position paper, we critically review existing discourse approaches to autistic communication and argue that future research must be participatory, affirmative of neurodiversity, and applied in service of addressing this double empathy problem. In particular, we argue that applied linguists should pay more attention to the role of focussed interests and show how discourse analysis can shed light on the valuable role of interest-driven interactions, both among autistic people and between autistic and non-autistic people. Following this, we propose several directions for future directions for applied linguistics research into autistic communication. Specifically, we suggest that linguistics could explore the potential for focussed interests for fostering shared focus, mutual accommodation, and multimodal expression, and consider how these findings can be translated into positive impact for autistic communities.
