©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics The possibilities are endless! There are so many different options and places to study Linguistics that you’re bound to find the perfect course just for you!

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics But first… It is often the case that Linguistics is confused with the learning and speaking of foreign languages. Although Linguistics is all about the study of language, and many ‘linguists’ (practitioners of Linguistics) study one or more foreign languages, there are a wide range of other fields that are covered in Linguistics.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics For example Here are some of the topics covered in articles relating to Linguistics published on the BBC News website in recent years: Accents ● Artificial intelligence ● Animal communication ● Bilingualism ● Borrowed words ● Conversation ● Dialects ● Dictionary ● Estuary English ● Etymology ● Favourite words ● Forensic linguistics ● Global English ● Grammar ● Interpretation ● Intonation ● Language change ● Linguistic rules ● Linguistic diversity ● Multilingual ● Natural language science ● Official languages ● Oral traditions ● Phonics ● Pronunciation ● Reading ● Sign language ● Slang ● Sounds ● Speech ● Syntax ● Texting ● Translation ● Vocabulary ● Writing

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Applied Linguistics As these topics show, linguistics does not only describe language but can be practically ‘applied’ to many areas of human activity. Thus Applied Linguistics is characterised by a: “concern with professional activities whose aim is to solve ‘real-world’ language-based problems, which means that research touches on a particularly wide range of issues - psychological, pedagogical, social, political and economic as well as linguistic.” (Dick Hudson)

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Applied Linguistics Some of these real-world problems will relate to: Language learning (first and foreign language) Speech and communication difficulties Translation and interpreting Lexicography (dictionary compilation) Forensics (the analysis of criminal evidence).

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics The possibilities are endless! Where? If you want to study Linguistics, you can choose from more than 600 courses at over 50 different institutions across the UK.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics The possibilities are endless! Who? And in ,907 people applied to study Linguistics or related subjects. 11,855 of these were awarded places on courses.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics The possibilities are endless! What? You can choose from: Anthropology and Linguistics to Women’s Studies and Linguistics

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics The possibilities are endless! And all these in between… You can study Linguistics with: Modern Languages Sports Science Criminology Accounting Television Studies Urdu Dance English Film Studies Translation Speech Communication Computer Science History Cognitive Neuroscience Philosophy Interpreting British Sign Language and many more…

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics The possibilities are endless! How? You can take one of three basic routes: 1. You can study Linguistics as a single subject 2. You can combine Linguistics and English Language with each other 3. You can combine Linguistics with another subject

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 1: Linguistics as a single subject This will give you a Single Honours degree: You will study the core fields of Linguistics. These courses are often very theoretical and will cover aspects of the subject that are scientific in nature. You will investigate languages other than English.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 1: Linguistics as a single subject What will I study? You will study the major aspects of language such as sound formation (phonology); word and sentence structure (morphology and syntax); meaning (semantics), pronunciation (phonetics). You are also likely to learn about other aspects such as how children learn to speak (language acquisition) and how issues such as age, gender and social class affect the way we speak (sociolinguistics).

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 1: Linguistics as a single subject Why should I take this option? If you are interested in a very wide range of questions about language and want to study the subject in some depth then this option is the one for you. Indeed you may even want to become a language expert who can seek and hopefully find answers to the many puzzling questions about language.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 2: Combine Linguistics with English Language You can do this either as a Joint Honours degree, for example: English Language and Linguistics (“and” usually means you study both subjects equally) OR as a major and minor option, for example: English Language with Linguistics (“with” usually means a two thirds/one third split or three quarters/one quarter split)

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 2: Combine Linguistics with English Language Why should I take this option? If you are particularly interested in studying aspects of the English language, then this is the course for you. You will focus on the history, structure and development of the English language. You can either do this as a major or equal part of your course or as a minor part of a more general linguistics course.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 3: Combine Linguistics with another subject As in Option 2, you can do this as either a Joint Honours Degree (Linguistics and another subject) or as a major/minor course (Linguistics with another subject)

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 3: Combine Linguistics with another subject The most popular combinations are usually a Modern Language, such as French, German, Spanish, Chinese, English Literature or English Language. But you can choose to combine Linguistics with almost anything!

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Route 3: Combine Linguistics with another subject Is this the course for me? Yes, if you think Linguistics sounds interesting, but you’re still really keen to study a different subject, such as Geography, then this is the perfect course for you. Linguistics draws on many different disciplines such as sociology, psychology, modern languages, history and even maths that you may find it links well with your other interests.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics And there is one more option Most courses give you the option to take modules from different subjects at some point, usually in the second and third years. This is a great chance to try out some Linguistics if you haven’t done so already.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Why study Linguistics? A few ideas for your CV… Studying linguistics will equip you with some very useful life-long skills. These include:

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Why study Linguistics? The ability to research and understand: To collect data, analyse it and draw conclusions. To think critically, and to question and evaluate explanations and new-found confidence in trying to understand complex systems and ideas. An above average ability to learn new languages.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Why study Linguistics? The ability to communicate Developing the accuracy of your written skills. And after all, if you talking about languages all day, you’re bound to be pretty good at using them too!

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Why study Linguistics? An informed open-mindedness and self-awareness An interest in investigating human behaviour. The ability to engage in self-direction and develop an awareness of ethical issues. An awareness of how gender, culture and other issues affect languages.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics It’s exciting! “Linguistics is a current subject – linguists are locked in wars of words over current linguistic issues – and very quickly linguistics students may find themselves at the frontiers of research. You realise all the debates are valid, nothing can be dismissed and it is your job to try and understand the competing alternatives… What else could prepare you more for life?!”

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics One more thought “Most of the population have some kind of interest in language, but very few have informed interest, which is much more of an asset in life.”

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics What kind of job can you get? So you see, doing a degree in Linguistics will make you very employable and what’s more, you’ll be able to do some of the most exciting and innovative jobs in the world. Here’s just a taster…

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics What kind of job can you get? Fields of work that Linguistics graduates go into, include: publishing broadcasting law civil service accountancy computer programming speech and language therapy tourism recruitment consultancy journalism social work public relations proofreading counselling software design translating

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics What kind of job can you get? Let’s take a closer look Teaching: A popular choice for linguistics graduates leading to teaching English (Language) or Modern Languages at Secondary School level or teaching English as a foreign language (often abroad!) or teaching at primary school level.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics What kind of job can you get? Let’s take a closer look Speech and language therapist: assessing the speech and language needs of clients and then developing a treatment programme for them.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics What kind of job can you get? Let’s take a closer look Civil Service: formulating and delivering policies as part of a governmental team.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics What kind of job can you get? Let’s take a closer look Lexicographer: writing, editing and compiling dictionaries.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics Or keep on studying Another popular option with Linguistics graduates is further study ― that has to be a good advert for Linguistics! In fact, in 2004, 20.9% of graduates had begun further study.

©Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studiesroutes into linguistics So you can see, the possibilities really are endless!