Linguistics is a science whose object of study is language and its manifestations.
Linguistic studies are divided into phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and stylistics. There are also three related areas: lexicology, terminology and philology.
In Brazil, there are several linguistic faculties. Linguists are people trained in this field who investigate verbal language, its manifestations, evolutions and grammar. In addition, they study languages and their relationship to other languages.
Introduction to Linguistics
Linguistics studies human verbal language and, therefore, it has deepening methods to understand speech manifestations.
Observation is one of the methodologies used to analyze the linguistic variations that happen, for the most part, in oral language in different contexts.
This is because the linguist intends to understand why and where these variations occur at the expense of the cultured norm.
Thus, after careful observation of language and speech aspects, the linguist collects, organizes and analyzes this information. And, finally, it focuses on the theses of scholars on the subject.
In addition, linguistics can rely on other areas such as sociology, psychology, ethnography, neurology, etc. With this, it is possible to expand the field of linguistics, for example in ethnolinguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, etc.
When considering the methodological bias and its theoretical foundation, we can consider some characterizations of this science.
General Linguistics
As its name indicates, this area of linguistics generally encompasses all analysis tools, in addition to the concepts that are worked on by this science. Thus, without going too deep, it offers a more general overview of the discipline.
Ferdinand Sausurre was the forerunner of linguistic studies and the classes he taught were brought together by his students in the work “General Linguistics Course”.
The main themes addressed by the scholar were: language, speech, linguistic sign, signifier, meaning, syntagma, synchrony and diachrony.
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Applied Linguistics
In applied linguistics, the focus of study is to solve the problems that arise in relation to the teaching of different languages and the translation of texts. In addition, she also proposes to resolve some language-related disorders.
Note: In addition to this categorization, linguistics can have a synchronic or diachronic focus of analysis.
Synchronic Linguistics
Also called descriptive linguistics, in this methodological bias, several lines are observed at the same time, that is, at a certain stage. It is closely related to theoretical linguistics that offers theoretical models on the area.
Diachronic Linguistics
Also called historical linguistics, in this focus of analysis, linguistic manifestations are observed over time. So she studies the changes that take place over time.
Text Linguistics
Textual linguistics includes the analysis of texts with a focus on the communicative process established between the writer and the reader of the text.
One of the main concepts of this aspect is the textual cohesion. It is analyzed by several textuality factors, which deserve to be highlighted: intertextuality, situationality and informativity.
Read too:
- Referential Cohesion
- Sequential Cohesion
- Cohesion and Coherence
Top Thinkers
- Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913): Swiss linguist and founder of modern linguistics. His studies were fundamental for the autonomy of the area.
- Noam Chomsky (1928-): American linguist and philosopher considered the “father of modern linguistics”. His studies on cognition were essential for advancing the field of cognitive psychology.
- roman jakobson (1896-1982): Russian linguist, considered one of the greatest linguists of the 20th century. His studies focused on communication and the structural analysis of language.
- Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914): American linguist and philosopher. His studies were essential to the advancement of semiotics and philosophy.
Read too:
- Stylistics
- Semantics
- Communication and Pragmatic Factors
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Language
- Formal and Informal Language
- Orality and Writing
- prosody
- Textual Polyphony