Linguistics
Scientific study of language.
Linguistics can be:
Theoretical:encompasses a number ofsub-fields.
Comparative: compares languages andtheir histories.
Applied: puts linguistic theories inpractice.
Sub-fields of the LinguisticStructure
LINGUISTICS
Discourseanalysis:language used intexts
Pragmatics:utterances incommunicativeacts.
Syntax: howwords combine toform sentences
Semantics:meaning of wordsand wordscombination
Phonology:sounds in mind fordistinguish meaning
Morphology:internals structuresof words
Phonetics:physicalproperties ofsounds
Some External Factors
Language acquisition
Sociolinguistics
Neurolinguistics
Historical Linguistics
Anthropological Linguistics
Psycholinguistics, among others.
Linguist = someone who studies the humanlanguageApplied Linguistics researcher: someone whoposses the technical knowledge about languageTeacher: someone who posses the practicalknowledge about language
Applied Linguistics Researcher+Teacher = ?
Applied Linguistics Researcher (teaching as ascience)+ Teacher (teaching as an art) =improvement and clarification of theories andtechniques = benefits?
Benefits: to those who are acquiring thelanguage = students.
Why? Because they have the techniques andthe experience all in one.
Conclusions
For many years teacher used toteach without any professionalinstruction about methology or anyspecific technique, because therewas only one way of teaching andthe learning styles and the studentsbackground were not important.
After several investigations, basedin observing and studying why somestudents learn faster than othersand their different behaviors,applied linguistic was born. And ithas been being used as a facility forteachers to help and motivatestudents to keep learning.
As teachers is very important tokeep learning about all thesedifferent techniques andmethodologies to improve ourclasses. How? Applied linguisticsresearchers have beeninvestigating not only howstudents learn, also, whichfactors are involved in theirlearning and how to explodethat information.
It doesn’t matter which subjectwe are teaching, all these newtechniques and theories can beapplied to any area.
