Misconceptions about Linguistics 

Glad you enjoyed that. I actually got some flak over that line from people who say, "But... but... sometimes you ARE really just trying to help people when you correct their grammar." To which I say, "Well... as long as you have love in your heart... cool!" LOL :D Thanks for watching! :D

sorry my English isn't good, hope you understand me anyhow... yes I enjoyed it (and the whole video) very much :) Thank you for taking the effort and put up videos like that (so now you can correct my grammar ;) )

I have no problem understanding you... Your grammar is excellent, so I won't be obnoxious and correct every minute detail LOL xD

@Michael Sheen Sorry I missed your comment from way back. (Thanks, RU-vid!) I hope you're still enjoying learning and languages. Never stop learning!

I wish you if you were my professor. Very quiet , serious in special kind way. I am about to study linguistics. Thank you for sharing this. Very formative . Thank you again and again.

Thank *you* for watching! I'm glad it cleared some things up. As a linguist myself, I'm very biased, but I think producing language is an awesome human skill! Many aspects of language are very interesting. I hope you find your passion in it. Thanks for stopping by and sharing you passion. Come back for other videos! :D

I love languages myself, too! The only problem with being multilingual is having to keep up with all of them so you don't lose them. #polyglotproblems :D Keep it up! I believe learning languages can open your mind and many doors. -- Marc Franco

Hi, Igor. Thanks! That's a great comment, and I understand where you're coming from. As a professor, I correct my students' grammar errors because they are expected to use "standard English grammar" in an academic setting. In that sense, "good grammar" is considered appropriate for the setting. What generally comes across as obnoxious is when people correct others in inappropriate situations. I myself switch to a less formal register when I leave the classroom... Linguistics is about language. Standard and formal grammar are but one facet of language, and it is usually established by scholars rather artificially at some point in the history of many languages. In other words, one day, some dude decided that we should not split infinitives, so "to boldly go where no one has gone before" is supposedly ungrammatical by some even though it makes no sense whatsoever not to be able to split infinitives. (There are many examples of "rules" that came into English for no good reason other than some stuffy guy saying it should be so.) You're right, when linguists come across new languages, they try to figure out the grammar of the language but not necessarily the "standard grammar." They go to speakers (aka informants) and record what they say without any concern whether or not what they say is considered "correct" by a local grammarian. At some point, the linguists may realize that there are grammatical differences when speakers use the language in different situations. These are then recorded as language varieties or registers (not good or bad grammar). It is the speakers of that language themselves who might inform the linguists that one grammar form is considered "correct" or "incorrect." The linguists will then say "cool" and carry on with their work of understanding the language, now knowing that the language has formal and informal varieties. Thanks again for the comment. It got me thinking about a lot of cool stuff :)

Haha! That's some way to be remembered... but at least they *are* remembered. :D I hope you are enjoying the channel. Thanks for watching! :D

Thanks for the compliment! Hah! We need to educate people... one person at a time. :) Thanks for watching! I have a list of "about language/linguistics" videos on my to-do list. I hope you will enjoy them, too.

Alison, it always makes me very happy to know that one of my videos was as helfpul as it seems to have been for you! One way to find out more about the possibility in the field is to reach out to professionals already working in the area. If you have access to someone in the field, give them a call, tell them about your interest in linguistics, and ask questions. (Typically, people are very willing to share their knowledge because we are all proud of what we do.) You might even get to talk to people face-to-face and see some of what they do. If you talk to one person, they may be able to refer you to others working in related areas; people may be even more receptive to talking to you if you have someone else making the introduction. Soon enough, you may be able to find out about things people are doing that you may not even have imagined on your own. A less direct approach is to go to your library and look at all the journals in linguistics they have. Read a lot of abstracts in as many journals as you have available (both in applied linguistics and more "academic" areas). Again, this will give you an indication of the type of work people are doing out there, and you may surprise yourself by being interested in some area that you may not have thought of on your own. Thanks for watching and for the lovely comment! :D

You bet. The area is very broad, and there are many things you can do in it. Thanks for watching and leaving the comment! :D

Cool. Linguists specializing in semantics, more specifically cognitive semantics, can go deep into how we process individual words and messages. Of course, politicians and advertisers seize on that for the sake of creating the most effective messages. (It can quickly get into "manipulation" of the message.) Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I hope you enjoy the other videos on the channel.

Thank you! Semantics... Thanks for the suggestion. It is actually an interesting topic to think about.

That would actually be an interesting follow-up video. I will add it to my list of future videos. In the meantime, take a look at this: www.linguistlist.org/LL/LingSubfields.cfm You could also go to a library (if you have a large one available in your area) and look at their collection of journals. It could give you an idea what is out there. Thanks for the suggestion and question! :D

+Brooke Jonas Good luck with your training! // It’s possible, but... I can’t fathom becoming an ESL teacher without some (really) good understanding of language/linguistics! Do your thing and spread some knowledge to the naysayers! LOL // Thanks for watching and for the positive feedback. :D

That's great! I always love to hear that these videos are helpful in some way. I hope you enjoy the other videos as well! :D

Hah! I'm glad you found it useful. When I decided to follow a career in linguistics, many people scratched their heads. I realized that I could educate them a little so it was a win win for everyone. :) Good luck with your studies! I hope you find it as challenging and exciting as I did. :D

That’s great! There’s always something new to learn in linguistics (but then, I’m biased because I love it). Thanks for watching and leaving a comment:)

Always welcome! Glad you found the video useful. Enjoy the channel

+Ach Carmis It was a fun video to put together, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching! :)

R.I.P., Alex 👍

Thanks for leaving such a cool comment. I hope some of my videos will have a long shelf life, so it's never too late to learn about misconceptions about linguistics or leave a comment. I am always happy to hear that one of our videos had a positive impact on someone. I hope you continue pursuing your interests! Thanks again for the comment! :D

:D Thank you!

Welcome to Snap Language! I hope you enjoy our videos and materials. Cheers! :D

My pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed the content! :D

You are very welcome. Glad it was helpful! Good luck with your studies! Thanks for taking the time to say "hello."

Most welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the content :D

@@snaplanguage 😊❤️

Thank you for the nice comment, Aaman. Good luck in your studies. I hope you enjoy learning linguistics as much as I do! Thanks for watching! I hope you're enjoying the rest of the channel :D

Glad you've found it useful! Out of curiosity... did you search for it, or did your instructor direct your fellow students to the video? Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment

@@snaplanguage Hi, Future Learn (online learning) provided a link in the introduction of the course..

Hello, fellow linguist! Thanks for the comment. I agree... when someone has no clue what linguistics is about, we should use it as an opportunity to educate. I enjoyed reading your comment... thanks for taking the time :D

Some people are more aware of language itself... you probably are, which is why you decided to take a course in linguistics. Understanding language at a deeper level makes you aware of what's going on in the native and additional language(s). As a result, when you study the grammar and writing portion of a language, you are more aware of how things work. Listening and speaking develop naturally, but reading and writing are artificial activities. People can speak a language perfectly without learning how to read in or write it. That's probably why, as you mentioned, linguistic awareness is not very helpful in listening and speaking, but it does help with reading and writing. Great comment! I hope you are enjoying the channel!

Thank you for the lovely comment, Lee. Glad you're enjoying the channel. :D

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying our videos. I'm not sure about design. That's probably something you end up learning through experience. Language is *everywhere*, and we often take it for granted, ignoring how people may interpret what we say or write. You have language awareness on your side as someone interested in language and linguistics. Keep your ears and eyes open, and have fun! :D

If you are applying to a linguistics program, it probably depends on the institution. Being a polyglot shows that you have an academic bent. If they were deciding between two equally qualified applicants, I'm sure some institutions would consider multilingualism a "bonus point." Thanks for watching and good luck with your college/graduate applications! :D

Hlw

Being a polyglot is a bonus point in life, in general.

I enjoy sociolinguistics a lot. Studying language on its own is great, but... languages are spoken in a socio-cultural context, so sociolinguistics is... well, awesome :D

Thank you! In a way, I *am* your professor because you're watching my videos lol Best of luck with your studies!

I can only imagine what it would be like to learn linguistics in another language but, if it is something you enjoy doing, it will get easier as you go along. Knowledge is power--in any language! Keep it up! :D

Saludos +Lorena Devia Leguizamòn Thank you for the kind comment and for watching the video. I hope you enjoy the rest of the channel :D

I'm going to view everything, so I'm sure that I'm going to like it. I love to learn new things. I love linguistics.

The channel was idle for a while, but I have started making videos again. Many are about reading but, now that the reading part is rather complete, there will be more about language and linguistics. -- Enjoy! :D

I'm not an expert in etymology, but I do find it fascinating, too. Some word origins are quite a trip. Have you seen my video on etymology? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cSAW4FSA8Dg.html I enjoyed doing the research for it. I might even do some new ones on interesting word origins. Make sure you click the bell button so you're notified when new videos come out. Cheers! :D

Hi! Thanks for leaving the comment. In addition to studying linguistics as an academic subject per se, there are many applications that people are not even aware of. An easy example is that educators use the knowledge that linguists advance about language and language acquisition to create effective teaching methodologies and instructional materials. Foreign language instructors can certainly teach a language without knowing a lick of linguistics, but those who understand second-language acquisition and language processing are much better equipped as instructors. In artificial intelligence (AI), you must have an in-depth understanding of how language works to program computers and gadgets that can process voice commands and produce intelligible responses. In a way, you could say that, by itself, linguistics is mostly an academic subject; however, it has many applications which require knowledge and expertise in other areas. For example, linguistics can be applied to AI, but you must also have an understanding of AI and all it entails. Thanks for watching and, again, for leaving a detailed comment. :D

I'm not 100% sure. There are undergraduate courses and master's programs in computational linguistics. I'm sure if you apply for a job and already have a computational linguistics degree, you'd be better off. However, it's quite possible that some employers would also look at other qualifications (that is, if you have relevant experience). I searched online and found this information (I don't know how reliable these web sites are): • study.com/articles/Become_a_Computational_Linguist_Career_Roadmap.html • medium.com/@emilymenonbender/is-it-worth-it-to-go-to-grad-school-in-computational-linguistics-7234f0bd4981 Thanks for watching and leaving a comment/question! :D

Flare Fights I'm going through the same situation now! Although I haven't found anything about knowing many different languages and cultures, if you chose to major in a foreign language you will have to learn the history and culture of those that speak their language, as well as read some literature. But that's just focusing on one language or two. With foreign language though there's a lot you can still do, I was handed a list and some of those things included teaching English as a second language, being a tour guide, being a translator, and, of course, freelance work. If you figure anything else out pertaining to studying multiple languages please let me know, since, as I said, I'm in the same situation now! Im sorry I realize wasn't as helpful as I tried to be.

Hi! Thanks for the feedback. Deciding on a career is difficult at any age. Try to see what you picture yourself doing. For example, do you see yourself traveling a lot or sitting in an office, or working outside or inside, or using your hands or your mostly mind? and so on... Then think of careers that would give you the opportunity to do what you like. Linguistics is generally an academic discipline. You also have applied linguistics, though, where you need the knowledge of linguistics to do something related--for example, to teach English to speakers of other languages. Translators and interpreters can be very brainy, and they have to read a lot in the area they specialize in (such as translating for science, the humanities, or what)... Or you can do something that has nothing to do with linguistics per se but where you can use other languages as part of your job (such as in commerce). I'm not sure I'm being very helpful... but I hope you can find your ***passion!*** :D Keep me posted!

Awesome! I'm glad the video inspired you even more! :D Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

That is awesome! If you can combine all your passions into your job, you are definitely a fortunate person. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment :D

I'm glad you found this helpful. I have had many questions about the scope and job paths in linguistics. It is a very complex topic, but I will see how I can summarize useful information in 10 minutes or less... Thank you for watching and for the suggestion! :D

Thank you for the kind words! I'm not sure I'd be a good source of information as I've been away from school for a long time. I recommend you talk to professors or students in the programs you're interested in. Many professors will be glad to help you out because you're showing an interest in their field. All the best! :D

Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Make sure you clicked the bell when you subscribed to receive all notifications. This way, you won't miss any of our new videos. Cheers! :D

You are very welcome! Thanks for supporting the channel 😄

I guess it is possible to know a language without speaking it or to speak it without "knowing" it. lol Thanks for watching. Glad you found it helpful. :D

This is a very interesting question, and I'm not sure we have all the information to really understand what we will need to develop AI full because it is a relatively new field. From your comment, I surmise that you are thinking about AI that could interact with humans in a natural way (i.e., a machine that talks to humans naturally). If that's what you mean, I would definitely say that linguists will play an important role in the development of AI. As for the type of training required to develop intelligent machines capable of language, I have no idea. I would think that linguists and engineers would have to work closely together and that they would have to understand each other's field so they can collaborate intelligently. I'm sure someone who has training in both linguistics AND technology would be a rare commodity... Thanks for watching and leaving such an intriguing comment/question! :D

Hi, Jason. Yours is an interesting situation. If I were in your shoes, I would somehow try to contact someone locally who does the type of work you mentioned--or at least something closely related to it. They would be better equipped than anyone to tell you whether or not there are points of entry into that area without necessarily earning a degree in linguistics or related field. Perhaps there are ways you can start doing some work as some sort of an "apprentice" and hopefully get deeper into it due to your experience. It may be a long shot, but... well... we always have to get started somewhere. This sounds like an interesting new adventure... and I wish you the very best. If you have the opportunity, let me know what you find out.

What degrees do you already have? did you start doing something with linguistics?

Hi, thanks for the comment. There are several links under this video that you may find helpful. One of them, is "Why major in linguistics" by the Linguistic Society of America. It may cover some of the information you need. Of course, everything looks better on paper, so I recommend you should find linguists that are willing to chat with you about their career paths. They may be able to introduce you to other linguists in other areas as well. Talking to several people who navigated their way through the area of linguistics and found their niches may give you a better idea of career paths than a single source. I'd love to hear back from you and learn what you found out, if you'd like to share it. All the best!.. and thanks for watching :D

I am not sure how to answer these questions. It all depends greatly on where you are and what kind of work you want to do. For example, most people do not even know what linguists do in the United States; however, they are more "respected" in most of Europe. I explained where linguists work in the video. You can do field work (which means you might work in a foreign country, in the middle of a desert or a jungle), or you can work in a university (likely in a book-filled office). You can apply your knowledge of linguistics to education or in industry. It all depends on what you do with it after you earn your degree. As you are interested in it, I would recommend you should try to contact colleges and see if you can actually visit with people that work in the area. They should be able to point you in different directions other than the typical college job. Good luck! :D

Recuerdo cuando decidí ser lingüista. Recibía la reacción que describeste también! "Qué? Qué hacen los lingüistas? Se puede ganar dinero haciendo eso?" jaja No dejes que eso te moleste. Es una oportunidad para ayudar a los otros a entenderlo. :D Thanks for watching y por darme la oportunidad para practicar mi español roto. :D

Hi, Sam! Yes, I have a bachelor's degree in linguistics and a doctoral degree in human development (with an emphasis on socio-linguistics). I think it's great you're back in school! "Never stop learning" is a great motto, right? Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! -- Marc Franco

TEFL is a great field (but I'm biased, of course). You'll run into a lot of topics in applied linguistics. Best wishes on your TEFL adventures :D

@@snaplanguage Hello! Thanks for replying to my comment. Any recommendations on finding good TEFL employers? Could you post a video on entering the TEFL, and wider applied linguistics field? Many thanks again. 😄

Thanks for the comment. Sorry to hear about your predicament. You can still learn a lot on your own but, of course, having a degree with it is even better. All the best!

Everybody should watch these videos! \:D/ lol Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

Thank *YOU* for watching and leaving a kind message! I hope you're enjoying the rest of the channel

Funny you ask that because I will start working with math this summer... I have not done it before, but I will have people in the math department at a local college helping me bridge the gap. I'm sure I'll learn a lot of new things... exciting...

It will be interesting find some videos in your channel about what you could learn at your investigation :D

Abece Eleme, Maths and linguistics is a very interesting combination. I know researchers who have degrees in maths and physics, and are now involved in fields, such as neurolinguistics and language and genetics. Their mathematical background is really useful when statistically analysing data. There was also this one researcher (can't remember what he'd majored in), who was working in historical and evolutionary linguistics, and worked a lot with Bayesian models to analyse and predict linguistic relationships between modern languages. Then there's the field of computational linguistics, which deals with topics such as speech recognition, speech synthesis, automated translation etc. In short, plenty of fields where a mathematical background is really useful.

Neurolinguistics sounds like an interesting field. Language cuts across so many areas that it is always possible to imagine how someone could marry linguistics to other interests.

Sound right :D Thanks for watching!

Thank you for watching! I hope you enjoy my other existing and future videos :D

Yeah, of course. Thanks again.

Fami Gojaev That's awesome! I hope you'll enjoy the language-related videos. New ones will be posted soon. Thanks for watching! :)

I look forward to watching

There are many shades of gray when it comes to that. It certainly helps to *know* about many languages because it gives you a broader perspective on what is possible in natural languages. It comes with the territory, too, because, as a linguist, you will end up learning how other languages works. Yet, *speaking* or *acquiring* them, especially at a high level of proficiency is not necessary unless your area of specialization requires you to do so. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I hope you're enjoying the channel.

Hi! Thank you so much for the compliment. I have stopped for a while, but I am already working on a few more. I hope to post new videos every two weeks or so.

That would be awesome

Hah! Well, it comes with the territory, I guess. I see these as teacheable moments :D I hope you enjoy the language-related videos coming up soon! :D

can't wait for it! 😊

Yeah, it's hard to think of many things as impactful as that... the wheel perhaps? Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! -- Cheers

Hi, Amira! If you are talking about an undergraduate degree, colleges offer courses in linguistics (as a whole), not theoretical or applied linguistics. They are often offered as interdisciplinary programs, too. Once you take the basic courses, you will have a better idea if you want to focus on theoretical linguistics, applied linguistics, or computational linguistics. This website has a good breakdown of different areas in linguistics: www.sil.org/linguistics/what-linguistics I hope this helps. :D

@@snaplanguage thank you so much

Hi, Jennifer. Thanks for watching and for the interesting question. To answer your question, I believe it is a matter of who is asking. In a very strict sense, a linguist is someone who studies linguistics and has a college degree in linguistics. A university or company would probably require formal training for someone to be consider for a job in linguistics. However, you could also argue that someone who studies linguistics (without the "formal training") could be an excellent linguist and contribute to the field just as much. As you yourself seemed to point out, studying languages per se does not make you a linguist, but if you study the formal concepts in linguistics as they apply to language acquisition, I would argue you are indeed a linguist. I am sure there are "purists" out there who would disagree and say that you must have formal training to be a linguist. I would simply say that you can be a chef in your own kitchen (and a darn good chef) without going to culinary school or working in a restaurant. Again, thanks for the question. I hope you are enjoying the rest of the channel. :D

Snap Language Thanks for your answer. I am really into linguistics but I studied languages and many times people tell me you are not a linguistic because your diploma does not say it. I will be following you from now on.

Well, as I mentioned before, "technically," you cannot say you are a *trained linguist* unless you have the appropriate degree in it. "Backyard astronomers" do not have degrees in astronomy but often make important discoveries using their makeshift observatories. There's no harm in that. Thank you very much for subscribing! :D

If you want to earn a degree in linguistics, you will have flavor for most aspects. This overview of all aspects of linguistics will give you a chance to choose what you want to specialize in. Once you do choose your area of expertise, you will not need to worry too much about the other areas, though a basic understanding in "all of the above" is necessary because there is a lot of crossover. If you specialize in historical linguistics, for example, you may need to understand how the phonology or syntax of a language has changed over time... Thanks for watching and for the interesting comment! :D

Glad you've enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and taking the time for such a nice comment

Hi, thanks for watching and leaving a comment! It sounds like you are a linguist at heart--or at least an honorary linguist! :D I, too, love languages and learning different ways people communicate ideas in different languages. And it is true that as you learn new languages, your native language improves. That is so because you become more aware of language per se, so you start becoming more aware how your own language works. Good luck with your studies! Belgium is such a lovely country... :D

Hi, Ahmad. That's a difficult question. It all depends on what you intend to do with your degree afterward, what requirements are for different jobs where you live, whether or not you plan on continuing your studies into master's and doctoral level, and so on. The best bet is to try to get in touch with people in those departments or people who already work in the professional area you'd like to pursue. They will be able to speak from experience. I wish I had the definitive answer, but I hope this helps you get started. :D

+Erbear 101 That's etymology. Historical linguistics also delves into how languages change or develop over time. :)

This can be a very interesting topic, depending on your interest in linguistics. Daniel Everett, the researcher who studied the language, actually lived among the Pirahã. I have read a few articles and watched a couple of videos and, as with anything interesting like that, there is also some controversy. You must "take his word for it" to some extent because they were his observations; perhaps recursion is manifested in Pirahã in a way that is "unusual;" or it is possible in principle, though speakers just do not use it; and so on. Have you read this article? www.languagesoftheworld.info/bad-linguistics/the-piraha-controversy-part-1.html

Thanks for the awesome comment! Language is *everywhere!* It's no wonder linguistics has so many applications. It's too bad more people do not have more language awareness (metacognitive awareness)... Thanks for watching and leaving a well thought out comment!

@@snaplanguage No problem! I'm currently studying linguistics and the amount of people I've had to explain what it is that I'm studying honestly surprised me. So yeah.

Also I may want to become a translator or interpreter for English ,Spanish German,or Russian (which I speak fluently except Russian which I am in the process of learning)

Just go for a degree in linguistics and see what grabs your attention and interest. As for translating/interpreting, my understanding is that you need a bachelor's degree in whatever you like first, then you can take a stand alone course in it. (In other words, you do not even need to be a linguist.) You need to get certified and gain a lot of hands-on experience. This is one source I found googling for it: www.atanet.org/certification/ But I would definitely do a lot of research before committing to anything... (there are many gimmicks out there that you want to avoid.)

It is always difficult to say what degree will or will not benefit someone's career. In my opinion, whatever degree someone chooses to pursue in college can always be beneficial in the long run because it gives them knowledge that they can somehow use professionally. That being said, if you pursue a career in TEFL or teaching of any kind, a degree in linguistics will definitely give you an understanding of language in general, which is definitely an important tool for a teacher/instructor. I wish you the best in all your educational endeavors! :D

Snap Language Thank you for the advice! :)

Hi, Woojaes. Thanks for the comment! Sometimes it is difficult to decide what steps to take next. In your case, I believe what you are trying to do is to improve yourself and continue getting an education. Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it will be positive. Some people have to make difficult educational decisions because they need to start working and earning a living as soon as possible. If you have the means to stay in school a little longer--or perhaps to work and study--go for it. The more education and positive experiences you gain early in life, the more successful you are likely to be later in life. Even if it is not just about making money, the experiences you have early on (in school, traveling, experiencing other cultures, learning languages) stay with you forever and make you a better person. :) Thanks for watching... and best wishes in your future endeavors... Enjoy life! :D

Snap Language Thank you so much, that was so relieving.. now I focus on my studying English in vocational school, and sometimes I travel because I can get lessons that school didn’t teach. I wish me and you always get happiness in our life. Can’t wait for your new videos..

Me, too! Formal grammar is useful to create a standard that everyone can follow (e.g., in publications and businesses) that everyone understands. The problem sometimes is that some of the "grammar" rules stop making much sense to hold on to when language evolves. "Never end a sentence with a preposition" is another rule I absolutely do not follow anymore LOL Some linguists do study formal grammar-why the rules came to be and how rules are evolving. That can be an interesting area if that's what someone is interested in. (See? I just finished a sentence with a preposition! ) :D Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I hope you enjoy the other language- and linguistics-related videos on the channel.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :D

Speech pathology is an awesome field, which involves more than just linguistics. Good luck! And thanks for watching! Stay tuned for more language-related videos coming up soon... :D