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PrincetonUniversity |
Program in LinguisticsLinguistics is the study of the nature, use, and origin of human language. The four core areas include syntax (the internal structure of sentences), morphology (the internal structure of words), semantics (the meaning of linguistic expressions), and phonology (the sound systems of languages). Over the past several decades, linguists have developed a view of language as a computational system unique among human capacities. While the structure of a language is highly complex, a child acquires knowledge of this structure automatically and uniformlyand without explicit instructionin contrast to reading and writing, which have to be taught. That a large part of this knowledge of language must be innate, presumably part of the human genetic code and therefore universal across the species, is a fundamental hypothesis of contemporary linguistics. From this it follows that all human languages are related via a language faculty in the mind/brain. This perspective places linguistics at the forefront of the ongoing revolution in cognitive studies. The study of language as a creation of the human brain provides a special window on the nature of mental processes. Linguistics at Princeton is primarily concerned with the study of the structure and use of language. The program makes a unique contribution to undergraduate education by providing students an opportunity to employ scientific reasoning in the study of a most fundamental aspect of human nature: the ability to communicate in language. The program offers courses in the core areas of the discipline mentioned above, as well as language acquisition, computational linguistics, and historical linguistics (the study of how languages change over time). Occasionally, the program offers courses in advanced topicsdepending on student interest and availability of faculty. The program awards a certificate of proficiency to students who have successfully completed the thesis and course requirements (five coursesthree of which must be in linguisticsand a thesis involving the study of language or some equivalent work completed during the senior year). Although there is the possibility of an independent major in linguistics through the independent concentration program, concentrators in the program generally satisfy the requirements of a traditional departmental major. A background in linguistics can be especially useful for majors in areas where the study of language plays an important role (for example, natural language processing, philosophy of language, psychology of language, and language and culture) and also constitutes excellent preparation for careers in the fields of health (speech disorders and therapy), education (language teaching and related technology, special education), and technology (computer careers requiring knowledge of properties of natural language), as well as in the legal profession where the use and analysis of language are essential skills. Students who choose to go on to graduate work in linguistics or related disciplines can acquire a strong background by taking courses in the core areas of linguistics with additional courses in related areas and disciplines. Recent graduates of the program have been accepted into some of the best graduate linguistics programs in the country.
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