Linguistics and You

Why do people in one part of the country say "pop" and in other parts say "soda"? How can "blimpie," "submarine," "grinder," and "hoagie" all mean the same thing in one language? Why do some people pronounce "don't you" as "doan-chu"? These are all questions a linguist - one who studies languages - can answer.

The field of linguistics covers everything from multi-lingualism (learning multiple languages), to how a language uses sound to make meaning (phonetics), to how the meaning is composed, delivered, and interpreted (semantics). By studying language, we learn where words come from, and writers and artists play with them all the time. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione and Harry cast "cave inimicum" to protect their tents. That's classic Latin for "beware the enemy," and "inimicum" is also where we get the word "inimical" in English!

If you're feeling a little overwhelmed, we have a wonderful primer for you to learn more in Linguistics For Beginners. We're proud to announce the title even got a recommendation from Ultimate Vocabulary. They recently posted a series regarding linguistics, and gave their recommendation for our very own Linguistics For Beginners, calling it a "comprehensive overview of linguistics" that was also "written in such a clear and direct style that it's very easy to understand." If you've ever wondered about this fascinating topic, Linguistics For Beginners is the book for you.