Having Interest in Learning Languages? Stop Here and Read

Many people think that a linguist is one who speaks many languages and works as a language teacher or as an interpreter. In fact, these people are accurately called "Polyglots". The focus of linguistics is about the structure, use and psychology of the language in general.

Linguistics is majorly concerned with the nature of language and communication. It deals with both the study of particular language and the search for general properties common between all languages or large groups of languages. It includes the following areas:

Phonetics

Phonology 

Morphology 

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

It also includes exploration of the nature of language variation like dialects, language does change over time and how language is processed and stored in the brain and how the language is acquired by young children. All of the topics are examined in the coursework while studying.

Although linguistics is still largely unfamiliar to the educated public it is a growing and exciting field, with an increasingly important impact on other fields as diverse as philosophy, education, language teaching, psychology, sociology, anthropology, computer science and artificial intelligence.

Scope of Linguistics

The field of linguistics is exceptionally diverse, intersecting with many areas such as anthropology, computer science, foreign language study, neurology, philosophy, engineering, psychology, sociology, and speech and hearing science, among others. As a result, a degree in linguistics can provide the foundation for an array of jobs and careers. Studying linguistics helps you develop many essential skills such as analytical thinking, argumentation, critical thinking, problem-solving, data collection and analysis and written and oral expression. 

As a student of linguistics, you will become familiar with many different languages and cultures and also develop cross-cultural skills. Each of these skills is useful in many careers that may not otherwise seem related to linguistics. Below you will find a list of some of the career paths that graduate with a BA degree in linguistics has followed. Doing a search on Google for 'linguistics jobs' will also yield some exciting results.

Career in Linguistics

If you are studying a linguistics degree but still have not made any serious career plans, do not worry. A linguistics degree is an extremely versatile qualification to graduate with, so there are plenty of career options available. Here are seven of the favorite jobs for graduates with a linguistics degree.

The computational linguist in the Tech industry: A field combining computing and rule-based modeling of natural language, computational linguistics can solve problems in many areas, including artificial intelligence, natural language interfaces, document processing, machine translation, grammar and style checking, and computer-assisted language learning.

Linguistics professor: Pursue an academic career and use your expert knowledge to teach in university departments such as linguistics, psychology, philosophy, speech and communication sciences or anthropology.

Translator: Working as a translator, you will be expected to churn out 2,000 to 3,000 words every day. You will be involved in liaising with clients, consulting specialist dictionaries and using reference books to find precise translations for industry jargon. Whether freelance or in-house, you will typically be expected to specialize in one area such as education, law, commerce, literature or science.

Teach a foreign language: As a foreign language teacher, you will prepare lesson plans, marking student work, instructing pupils either one-to-one or in the classroom, ordering material, liaising with parents and attending administrative meetings. You will be expected to impart your pupils with a degree of proficiency in a new language, as well as knowledge of the culture, history, and culture of the language in question. 

Forensic linguist: Forensic linguists perform language analysis on emergency calls, threat communication, suicide letters, and social media during legal proceedings for law firms, the police and/or the government, to help solve crimes.

Technical writer: Technical writers produce content in close collaboration with graphic designers, software developers, and testers and user experience designers. The role chiefly involves collecting information, planning content and writing technical documentation to educate consumers about the products or services in the form of manuals, business correspondence, whitepapers, etc.

Lexicographer: Lexicographers write, compile and edit dictionaries for native speakers, professionals, learners of English and bilingual speakers. Lexicographer monitors and record new words and checks the accuracy of their own texts.

Here are some other jobs directly related to your degree include:

Publishing copy-editor/proofreader

Speech and language therapist

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

Civil Service fast streamer

Digital copywriter

Editorial assistant

Information officer

Marketing executive

Primary school teacher

Public librarian

Public relations officer

Social researcher

Typical employers include:

Media organizations

Publishing companies

Marketing and PR companies

Civil Service, especially on the Fast Stream

Law and accountancy firms

IT and telecommunications firms

Primary and secondary schools

Language schools

The NHS and private hospitals

Further Study

Almost a quarter of the linguistics graduates are undertaking new study or combining further study with work six months after graduation.

Some go on to study at Masters Level to specialize in an area of linguistics of interest to them for example applied linguistics and TESOL or a related field such as: 

English language

Philosophy of language

Creative writing

Forensic linguistics

Philosophy

Others further go on to take the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) to work in primary and secondary teaching.

There are many career counseling for students in Delhi and FairGaze.com is the best socio-educational ecosystem that provides Career Guide Services online that is carefully crafted to provide you with a reliable assessment of how your interests are related to the careers in the modern work environment.

They also provide personalized Future Bright Program that has been designed after extensive research to bring out the best in every student. These programs are delivered by the best mentors and experts who share their years of experience to add value to the student’s life.

Relax and take a few minutes to get valuable insights into exciting career options from FairGaze.

By: Aishwarya Sharm