What is Linguistics?

Linguistics is the systematic and scientific study of language.

By looking within a single language or across several, linguists observe patterns of variation and similarity that tell us about how humans interact with language consciously and unconsciously.

This analysis happens at multiple levels: 

• The physical mechanics of language such as sound waves, mouth movements and/or body movements.
• The organizational systems of language that are used to form words, sentences and conversations.
• The context of language use. How social factors affect language, how it varies, and how it’s maintained. 

What do the languages of the world have in common?
How do we produce and comprehend language?
How is language acquired?
What systems to languages follow?
How does language vary in different social contexts?

These are some of the questions investigated in linguistics courses.

Linguistics is relevant to a wide range of fields, including: