Why study linguistics?

Linguistics is a useful and rewarding subject for anyone who is interested in languages and in the teaching and learning of second/foreign languages. Linguistics may be usefully combined with the study of a wide range of other disciplines, such as anthropology, literature, education, philosophy, psychology, mass communication, speech therapy, computer science and information science.

While linguistics does not provide specific vocational training, you will be trained to use analytic, evaluative and argumentative skills which are widely applicable in the modern world. Linguistics may be used to help train language teachers, interpreters/translators, copy writers, editors, school teachers, speech therapists, computer language programmers and so on. In fact, the skills that you will acquire in linguistics can be put to use in diverse kinds of employment once you have graduated.

In the linguistics programme at Otago, you will be taught how to identify and provide analyses of linguistic phenomena and also how to construct and justify arguments for particular analyses. Although students of linguistics are strongly recommended to study another language, the linguistics programme at Otago University does not assume any prior knowledge of linguistics or of any languages other than English.

Perhaps the most important thing we offer is training in reasoning about language, and in writing and speaking about it, which should stand you in good stead whenever rational, independent and creative thinking is valued.

An Arts degree is not a professional qualification. However, an understanding of language is useful in many jobs.

The computer, information and telecommunications industries have taken many graduates.

Some linguistics graduates become teachers, (English, foreign languages, and indigenous language teaching).

Others work as speech pathologists or audiologists, working to overcome problems with language. Others have gone into translation and interpreting.

The public service has taken many linguistics graduates, because a knowledge of how we use language, and how languages vary is important in a society as diverse as ours.

Some work in Aboriginal and Islander communities, or Pacific Island communities, or Asian communities, doing a variety of work, including teaching, working on land claims, community development, policy development.