Linguistics (/lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/) is the scientific study of language and its structure. The spelling of the word "linguistics" can be understood through its IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "ling" is pronounced as /lɪŋ/, with the "ng" sound being represented by the symbol ŋ. The second syllable "u" is pronounced as /u/, and the third syllable "is" is pronounced as /ɪs/. The final syllable "tics" is pronounced as /tɪks/, with the "k" being represented by the symbol ɪk. Together, these sounds make up the word "linguistics."
Linguistics is a scientific discipline that encompasses the study of language, its structure, and how it is used in communication. It involves the analysis of both spoken and written language, historical and contemporary languages, as well as the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of language.
At its core, linguistics seeks to understand how languages are structured and how they function. This includes investigating phonetics (the study of speech sounds), phonology (the study of sound patterns in a language), morphology (the study of word formation and structure), syntax (the study of sentence structure and grammar), semantics (the study of meaning), and pragmatics (the study of how language is used in context).
Linguistics is not confined to the study of individual languages but rather explores universal aspects of language that are shared across different languages. It investigates the rules, patterns, and systems that underlie human languages, aiming to uncover the fundamental principles governing language acquisition, production, and comprehension.
Furthermore, linguistics analyses language in its social and cultural contexts, considering the influence of geographical, historical, and social factors on language variation and change. It also explores the psychological processes involved in language processing, such as how language is acquired by children, how it is processed in the brain, and how it is used to convey meaning and express thoughts and emotions. Overall, linguistics provides valuable insights into the complexities of human language, shedding light on the essential role it plays in our daily lives.
The science of languages; the general study of languages for the purpose of classification.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "linguistics" is derived from the Latin word "lingua", which means "tongue" or "language". The term "linguistics" was coined in the early 19th century as a combination of "lingua" and the suffix "-istics", which denotes the scientific study or theory of a particular subject. Therefore, "linguistics" refers to the scientific study of languages and their structures, including speech sounds, grammar, semantics, and social aspects.