My Interest As A Linguistics

Improvement to my grammar is the second area I’ve developed in this course. “It’s the little things that matter”, said by many people, and the way this relates to my second reasoning is due to the fact little grammatical errors matter too. When writing papers, I learned the skill to reread my sentences repeatedly, and see if it sounds right as an overall sentence. This skill, not only helped improve my writing, but also my texting. Improving my grammar is also useful when creating a resume, and applying for jobs and even scholarships. Overall, it is a skill I am pleased I learned to develop, and hope it improves even more over time.

Many kids in school are wanting to learn a new language away from their native language but many students are wondering what language is going to help them the most in the future. English is the clear answer for these students that are wondering what new language to learn for a number of reasons. Through different articles through the book “Language: A Reader for Writers” it discusses how language is the most successful and most useful language to speak. College students who want to learn a second language, that have not learned English, should learn English because it is the most widely used language in the world and it is the most useful language to learn.

Language can be defined as a means of communication through spoken sounds, written symbols, or hand and body gestures. Subject to this simple definition language is neither human nor animal exclusive, meaning that all living creatures use some form of language to communicate. Humans have created the most advanced system of language. Human language has advanced to include listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and visual representation. These components are known as the six language arts and while they are individual components they are as well interdependent. What you learn about one affects what and how you learn about the others.

During a period of frantic research in the autumn of my junior year, I found an article about linguistics, which seemed like an extremely welcome balance between the two disciplines - it is, at its most basic, the study and interpretation of language and grammar. It would allow me to analyze intricacies instead of create them, which I felt much more equipped to do. Even the grammatical aspect of the field sounded incredibly appealing - as a Latin student, I am surprisingly comfortable with grammar.

Linguistic relativity is the notion that language can affect our thought processes, and is often referred to as the ‘Sapir-Whorf hypothesis’, after the two linguists who brought the idea into the spotlight. Whorf writes how “Language is not merely a reproducing instrument for voicing ideas but rather is itself the shaper of ideas, the program and guide for the individual’s mental activity” (1956:212), and I will explain how it is able to do so. In this essay I will argue that certain ways of mental categorization, spatial cognition and reality interpretation, based on the characteristics of our specific variety of language, influence our perception of the world. I will discuss how languages divide up nature differently, and

I have had numerous English classes from the time I was six until now. In these English classes I have learned much, ranging from forming simple sentences to learning about adverbial clauses. In my most recent English class, however, I learned little. Mrs. Childers, my English II teacher, taught us how to analyze different texts, and she taught several dozen grammar rules- most of which I had already learned. Even though I experienced high and low points in the class, I discovered a strength that I did not know that I possessed.

Ever since I was a kid, everything came naturally to me but English. Struggling on grammar and spelling while my peers dealt with effortlessly progressively made me hate the humanities. It was one of those skills that if you are bad at it , you hate to doing it. Contrasting to that, I was really good at math and science which led a increasing divide between my love for STEM subjects and the growing hate for humanity subjects. That view changed when I decided my classes for junior year. I took the risk and went from a regular English 11 to AP Language and Composition class. Initially, AP Language was a way for me to improve my English as if I pursuit science, decent English skills were needed for lab reports. As I dreaded through the class, I progressively realizes what the humanity classes was teaching me. My AP Language teacher expressing the human condition and what individuals can do to pursuit a greater self was not the typical English class I was anticipating. I came to realize the humanity classes was not about grammar or dead writers, but it was about the us and how the truth hides under our nose waiting one day to change who we are. For me purpose of AP Language became more human. I wanted to learn about humanity that science and math can’t

It was such a pleasure taking this class. I was always interested in linguistics and wanted to dive deeper into the subject. Linguistics is a very broad topic with a lot of information to cover. While taking this class, the information provided refreshed my mind about many concepts and situations that I experience on a daily basis. It’s easy to wake up and take advantage of the day without acknowledging different uses of language. It’s imperative for everyone to become more aware of how everyone communicates; families, friends, employees, public figures, and even companies. Language is apart of who we are as a human race and it’s beautiful to break down the barriers and learn more about it.

Everyone has a different interpretation of the word, “invention”. However the word is simply defined as; a new device, method of process developed from study and experimentation. An invention is just a mental fabrication; it’s a falsehood (Dictionary.com 2013).1 Although in the essays, “Why I write” by Joan Didion, “Life in a new Language” by Eva Hoffman, and “Basmati Rice: An Essay about Words” by Audrey Thomas, each author has their own view on the English language, how they each began inventing their own writing styles, and also their reasons for why they chose to become writers. These are the three things that make their definitions of invention very particular and their own.

Some students would argue that taking a foreign language class in high school would not benefit them after graduation, as they plan to study a major in which being multilingual is not essential. This may seem reasonable as some majors, such as cosmetology or psychology may not ever use a foreign language nor require further study of a foreign language. However, studies have shown that studying a foreign language builds more skills than just language. Memorization, critical thinking and interpretation skills improve immensely in those students who take a foreign language class in high school (“Benefits and Opportunities” 1). Students can then use these skills to improve academic performance in other areas, improving overall college success.

My interest in learning English is due to the fact that I have always liked to challenge myself. Even though many of my friends and family warned me from majoring in English, as it would be difficult for me, I have accepted the challenge. I have always felt that learning English would increase myself confidence and have people around me impressed. This interest has also grown through my passion in learning about languages, cultures, and traditions. Where I come from, Saudi Arabia, a big number of people came from different countries and spoke different languages. I have realized that English could be a means to interact with a lot of people speaking different languages. I have also realized that English is the lingua franca of today’s world with no close rivals. Learning English actually

Linguistics has impacted cognitive psychology as the quest to understand language acquisition and the structure of language itself is undertaken. Linguistics is a complex and multifaceted; it includes language structural patterns and language development (Barsalou, 2005). The process of language development is complicated and dense, as the study of language is examined; the role of cognition is inherently examined and analyzed. Sternberg (2006) also explores language as an innate process and presents the idea that humans are born ready for language as a biological and cognitive process.

For three years as a student at Maple High School, I approached the English course with excitement and joy. It is after all my favourite course, and I do wish to pursue it at a university level because of the experience and knowledge it provides to students like myself. Not only did the course help to develop my strengths, but it also forced me to focus on weaknesses which I originally thought were avoidable.

This semester I enrolled in an English course for four months. This may seem like a brief time; however, I learned a lot about essay writing, vivid images, how to capture the attention of the reader, formulating an argument and problem-solving, among other skills.

Originally, linguistics was my intended major. Recently, I decided to switch my major to anthropology, and more specifically, the field of linguistic anthropology. For the linguistics major, one of my requirements for transferring to a university was to take a language and culture class. Several of the first lectures focused on the history of linguistics and anthropology. I was introduced to the idea that language, thought, and culture all influence each other. This meant that studying language, when divorced from the concept of culture, creates a myopic view of linguistics. It had never occurred to me that linguistic does not occur in a vacuum and needs to be examined alongside the culture it is associated with. Seeds of change were then sown in my mind. As the class progressed, I found myself growing more interested in the subject as a whole, and so anthropology became my major.