Program in Linguistics |
| Faculty |
Subfields of Linguistics
Linguistics covers a broad range of subfields related to language and communication, among which you may study:
SYNTAX: the study of the way in which sentences are constructed; how sentences are related to each other.
PHONOLOGY: the study of the sound system of language; how the particular sounds used in each language form an integrated system for encoding information and how such systems differ from one language to another.
SEMANTICS: the study of meaning; how words and sentences are related to the (real and imaginary) objects they refer to and the situations they describe.
PSYCHOLINGUISTICS: the study of the interrelationship of language and cognitive structures; the acquisition of language.
HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS: the study of how languages change through time; the relationships of languages to each other.
SOCIOLINGUISTICS: the study of the interrelationships of language and social structure, linguistic variation, and attitudes toward language.
PHONETICS: the study of speech sounds; how they are articulated (articulatory phonetics): their physical properties (acoustic phonetics): how they are perceived (auditory/perceptual phonetics).
(Source: Language Files, Advocate Publishing Group, Ohio)
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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 |
