Abstract：Language services in public emergencies of widespread concern are highly complex in real practice. It is essential to establish an effective national system for language emergency service and provide necessary and appropriate responses in the process. To such an end, the identification of language service needs is the pivotal first step to take. Based on the Customer Needs Identification Model developed by Gong et al. (2003) in management studies, the author proposes a multilayered model to identify language emergency service needs. This demand-driven identification model includes a battery of components, processes and social participants, such as service recipients, service needs segmentation, service recipients’ expectations, language ability of the service providers (adjustment), and service needs lists. Taking this model as an analytic paradigm, this paper investigates the practice of language services in combatting COVID-19 and diagnoses existing problems in the practice. Finally, it offers some suggestions to improve language emergency service, including undertaking surveys of language emergency service needs, collecting census data on language distribution, use and proficiency, developing language emergency service as a discipline of study, and establishing a comprehensive language service system at various levels to meet demands in emergency.
