How Linguistics Help in communication?- Edited by Aishee Biswas

To put it simply, linguistics is the study of language and its functions, including acquisition and communication. While linguists may have an interest in and knowledge of multiple languages, their expertise lies in understanding the mechanics of language itself. This may lead one to wonder why study linguistics if it doesn't teach specific languages.

 

In fact, the study of linguistics has significant value in helping us understand the world around us. Every language is unique, capturing distinct ways of thinking and expressing ideas. By comparing the words and structures of different languages, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of our world. This knowledge can be applied to improving communication, aiding in translation, promoting literacy, and treating speech disorders. Additionally, the study of linguistics can also be a valuable tool for language learning.

 

Furthermore, language plays a crucial role in defining our identities and how we relate to one another. Our first language, or mother tongue, is a means for expressing what is in our hearts. However, minority-language communities are often marginalized due to their cultural background or because their language is not the language of power. This can lead to limited access to education, perpetuating cycles of poverty and discrimination.

 

Thankfully, there are organizations working to empower minority-language communities through language development. Language development involves planned actions taken by a language community to ensure their language meets their  changing social, cultural, political, economic, and spiritual needs . At CanIL, staff and faculty members are involved in a range of cross-cultural language development work, contributing to the empowerment of these communities.

Speech is the most complex form of communication, connecting humans globally. Despite the diverse languages spoken worldwide, understanding the tone, inclinations, and connotations can reveal common ideologies and similarities across cultures. Linguistics provides an opportunity to learn how speech and sound work, enabling us to comprehend why accents differ and how we convey meanings in speech writing.

Here are five benefits of linguistic learning:

Evolving: Understanding how words are formed and how we structure sentences is the first step in grasping the meaning behind what we say. Learning about how we communicate, from writing to speaking, or even to how we sound, can provide insights into ourselves.

 

Beneficial: Linguistics can help us understand the meaning behind how words are said, making us more empathetic and better communicators. This skill is valuable in public speaking, writing speeches, and everyday conversations.

 

Improves skills: Linguistic learning involves working with large amounts of data in various mediums, such as text, video, and audio. Being able to analyze this information and form conclusions is a useful skill in many professions.

New opportunities: Solving puzzles in communication or creating hypotheses from large amounts of data can lead to a successful career not only in linguistics but also in forensic linguistics, law, psychology, sociology, lexicography, HR, teaching,  editorial and publishing, and management.

 

Innovation: Linguistics is a new field, and many hypotheses are yet to be answered. Linguists use creative strategies to problem-solve, leading to new discoveries about human interaction and behavior. Studying linguistics can help uncover the mysteries of the human brain and how we interact with each other.