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Minor Linguistics

Statement of Purpose

The undergraduate linguistics minor incorporates the broad aims of Brigham Young University, most notably a commitment to academic excellence as well as to religious and moral values. Linguistic minors not only receive a theoretical understanding of the nature of language but also practical applications of that theory, leading to scholarly research and to realistic uses in other liberal arts disciplines.

Goals

Linguistics is the scientific study of language in all its aspects-from the smallest units of sound to the largest units of text and discourse. Because language permeates almost every human activity, people who understand its workings are expressly prepared to contribute to the advancement of human civilization and more especially, God's kingdom on earth.

Undergraduate minors in linguistics, on graduation:

  • Will have the ability to analyze language data from a theoretical standpoint in the areas of phonology, morphology, lexis, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and historical development and to communicate the results of such linguistic analyses in academically acceptable forms (e.g., syntactic proofs, phonological analyses, comparative-historical studies, etc.).
  • Will apply their theoretical linguistic knowledge to the resolution of real-world problems, such as translation, computerized information storage and retrieval, language teaching, lexicography, literary analysis, or genealogy.
  • Will know:
    1. How languages differ, how they change over time, and how the various branches of different language families have developed.
    2. How language use varies according to social setting, the interlocutors involved, and the pragmatic purpose of communication.
    3. How language is organized and processed in the brain, as well as how languages are acquired by children and learned by adults

Minor Requirements

  1. Complete the following courses:
    Ling 330, 450.

  2. Complete 9 hours of electives from other Linguistics and English Language Department course work in consultation with a department advisor.