Program in Linguistics |
| Faculty |
Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It endeavours to answer the question: What is language and how is it represented in the mind? Linguists focus on describing and explaining languages as they are spoken in a natural environment and are not concerned with the prescriptive rules put forth by traditional grammarians (e.g., do not split infinitives). Linguists are not required to speak many languages and linguists are not interpreters.
The underlying goal of the linguist is to try to discover the universals concerning language; that is, what are the common elements of all languages. The linguist then tries to place these elements in a theoretical framework that will predict what can and cannot occur in human languages. The discipline is ultimately concerned with how the brain functions and as such can be considered a cognitive science. Phonology (the study of sound patterns of language), syntax (the study of sentence structure), semantics (the study of meaning) and language acquisition are considered the core fields of study and a firm knowledge of each is necessary in order to tackle more advanced subjects.
(Adapted from: Stu Barton's Linguistics Website, hosted by GeoCities)
Most Frequently Asked Questions About Linguistics
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Program in Linguistics | |
| 311 Burrowes Building | ||
| University Park, PA 16802 | ||
| linguistics@psu.edu | ||
| 814.865.1168 | ||
| B. Richard Page, Director | Please direct website comments to webmaster |
