What is linguistics?
Linguistics is traditionally defined as the study of the nature and
structure of human language. Linguists study a range of aspects of language,
including the sounds used in human languages and how they are organized
into systems in specific languages; the internal structure of words, sentences
and discourses; how meaning is conveyed by language; how languages vary
across groups; how languages change over time; how people use language
to accomplish things; how language reflects and transmits social values
and social structures.
For more information about linguistics in general, check out the Linguistic Society of America's page on The Field of Linguistics.
Where is linguistics at WSU?
Linguistics at WSU is one of several interdisciplinary General
Studies undergraduate majors. The linguistics major requires forty
credit hours drawn from courses in the English, Anthropology, Philosophy,
Computer Science or Mathematics, and Foreign Language Departments. The
coordinator of the Linguistics Program is Professor
Lynn Gordon (347 Avery, (509) 335-2117, gordonl@wsunix.wsu.edu).