In your linguistics studies at Western, different
courses will focus on the various sub-disciplines that together
represent the systematic structure of a language. Phonetics and
Phonology (the study of the distinctive sounds in a language,
their articulation and their variants given a specific environment),
provide a more profound understanding of the mechanics of tone,
accentuation and articulation (sound production). The study of Syntax
(word order and sentence structure) will help you understand what
languages have in common and what makes them unique. The study of Morphology
(the forms and functions of words in a given language) and Semantics
(word and sentence meanings) will complement your understanding of your
own mother tongue and how it is related to yet different from other
languages. The program in Linguistics will familiarize
you with the analytical tools needed to understand the internal
functioning of language, as well as introducing you to historical and
social variation in language. Historical Linguistics
requires that you integrate all of the various sub-disciplines
(phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax) providing a synthetic
understanding of language: its structure and nature. Through linguistics you will also become
acquainted with applications of linguistic theory in such areas as child
language acquisition, second language acquisition,
language change and variation, as well as exploring a
number of common misconceptions as language correctness, simplicity or
complexity of language or even the perception of a more melodious
language. Your studies in linguistics will also give you opportunities
to explore provocative and interdisciplinary concepts such as: the
'innateness' of human language, language evolution and extinction,
machine language and human language, as well as individual and social
views of language. What is Linguistics?
Language is the chief means which members of the human species
use to communicate with each other. Its scientific and humanistic study
is called linguistics. The history of linguistics goes back to ancient
times, and during the 19th and 20th centuries it flourished and came to
be associated most strongly with the scientific study of individual
languages of the world as well as with the search to identify those
traits which are common to all languages.
The study of linguistics is indispensable for anyone interested
in a particular language or in a discipline with a focus on language in
general. Students in many different fields of study find that
linguistics makes an interesting and engaging elective or optional
course (when combined with the discipline of language study, it is
excellent preparation for law school, for example). In terms of careers,
this means that anyone interested in language teaching of any sort
(such as a Bachelors of Education, or TESL certification), in
communicative disorders (including both Audiology and Speech Pathology),
in translation or in interpreting should be sure to include some
linguistics courses in their undergraduate preparation. The addition of
linguistics, the scientific study of language, further enchances your
academic program with critical and analytical skills, while contributing
to your better understanding of human language (English, French and
others), not simply from a grammatical or spoken perspective but also
from a scientific approach.
Western Linguistics
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