science

Outline of linguistics

Outline of linguistics is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Outline of linguistics rather than just read about it. In short: The following outline is provided as an overview and topical guide to linguistics: Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Someone who engages in this study is called a linguist.

Key takeaways

Outline of linguistics belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Outline of linguistics to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Outline of linguistics from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The following outline is provided as an overview and topical guide to linguistics: Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Someone who engages in this study is called a linguist. Linguistics has two subdivisions, general and applied.

Branches of linguistics

Subfields of linguistics General linguistics Phonetics – the study of the speech faculty Phonology – the usage of vocalized sounds and systems of sounds to form language Morphology – the property of sound and meaning dynamics in language Syntax – the property of grammar that governs sentence structure Semantics – the study of meaning as encoded in grammar Pragmatics – the study of how context contributes to meaning Graphemics – the study of writing systems Graphetics – the study of writing shapes as assigned to sounds or ideas Theoretical linguistics – the study of language as an abstract object Generative linguistics – an approach which seeks to ground grammar in a specialized language module Formalism (linguistics) – the theory of language as a formal system with mathematical-logical rules and a formal grammar Functional linguistics – language as used and coming from use Quantitative linguistics – the study of quantitative language laws and corresponding general theories Formal semantics – the study of semantics through formal logic-based models Descriptive linguistics – describing how a particular language is used Anthropological linguistics – the place of language in its wider social and cultural context, and its role in making and maintaining cultural practices and societal structures Historical linguistics – the study of historical language change over time Comparative linguistics – comparing languages to find similarities and historical connections Etymology – the study of word histories and origins Lexicology – the study of vocabularies and the structural relationships between many different words Sociolinguistics – the study of society's effects on language Discourse analysis – analysis of language use in texts (spoken, written, or signed) Linguistic typology – comparative study of the similarities and differences between language structures in the world's languages. Applied linguistics – finding solutions to real-life problems related to language Computational linguistics – the use of computation applied to language databasing, analysis, translation, and synthesis Forensic linguistics – language science applied to the processes of law and justice Internet linguistics – the study of language usage on the Internet Language assessment – assessing first or second language faculty in individuals Language documentation – comprehensive description of the grammar and use practices of languages of a particular group Language revitalization – an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one Language education – teaching specific language and language science Linguistic anthropology – the study of how language influences social life Psycholinguistics – the study of the psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire, use, comprehend and produce language Cognitive linguistics – an approach which seeks to ground grammar in general cognition Language acquisition – the study of how children and adults acquire language knowledge and ability Language development – the study of early language formation Second-language acquisition – the study of how a second language is learned

Subfields, by linguistic structures studied Sub-fields of structure-focused linguistics include:

Phonetics – the study of the physical properties of speech (or signed) production and perception Phonology – the study of sounds (or signs) as discrete, abstract elements in the speaker's mind that distinguish meaning Morphology – the study of internal structures of words and how they can be modified Syntax – study of how words combine to form grammatical sentences Semantics – the study of the meaning of words (lexical semantics) and fixed word combinations (phraseology), and how these compose to form the meanings of sentences Pragmatics – the study of how utterances are used in communicative acts – and the role played by context and nonlinguistic knowledge in the transmission of meaning

Subfields, by nonlinguistic factors studied Applied linguistics – the study of language-related issues applied in everyday life, notably language policies, planning, and education. (Constructed language fits under Applied linguistics.) Biolinguistics – the study of the biological and evolutionary components of human language Clinical linguistics – application of linguistic theory to the field of Speech-Language Pathology Computational linguistics – the study of linguistic issues in a way that is 'computationally responsible', i.e., taking careful note of computational consideration of algorithmic specification and computational complexity, so that the linguistic theories devised can be shown to exhibit certain desirable computational properties implementations Developmental linguistics – the study of the development of linguistic ability in individuals, particularly the acquisition of language in childhood Historical linguistics, or diachronic linguistics – the study of language change over time. Includes archaeolinguistics (or archaeological linguistics), and the dubious field of paleolinguistics. Language geography – the study of the geographical distribution of languages and linguistic features Neurolinguistics – the study of the structures in the human brain that underlie grammar and communication Psycholinguistics – the study of the cognitive processes and representations underlying language use Sociolinguistics – the study of variation in language and its relationship with social factors Stylistics – the study of linguistic factors that place a discourse in context

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Outline of linguistics

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Outline of linguistics claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Outline of linguistics before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Outline of linguistics ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Outline of linguistics

In research: Outline of linguistics appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Outline of linguistics in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Outline of linguistics is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Applied linguistics, Linguistics, Linguistics lists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Outline of linguistics outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Outline of linguistics in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Outline of linguistics means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Outline of linguistics out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Outline of linguistics in simple terms?

The following outline is provided as an overview and topical guide to linguistics: Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Someone who engages in this study is called a linguist.

Why does Outline of linguistics matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Outline of linguistics?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Outline of linguistics.