Branches of Linguistics

Branches of Linguistics
Linguistics aims to discover the science of languages, how they originate and evolved
and further how our mind perceives them to communicate. For those who love learning
new languages, this area of study is specifically of interest as it can help you learn the
roots and history of any language thus unravelling the whole world of even the simplest
of a language or dialect. Linguistics is a broad area of study and encompasses varied
specializations for students to choose from. This blog brings you a detailed list of major
branches of linguistics, their key features as well as how you can make a successful
career in linguistics.
Phonology The sounds in a speech in cognitive

terms
Psycholinguistics The psychological aspects of Language &

Linguistics
Sociolinguistics The study of the impact of society on
Language & Linguistics
Historical Linguistics The study of evolution and origins of

Languages
Computational Linguistics The study of spoken and written language

in computations & programming
Applied Linguistics The study of real-life applications of

Linguistics
Phonetics The study of sounds in a speech in

physical terms
Syntax The study of formation and structure of

sentences
Semantics The study of meanings
Morphology The study of the formation of words
Pragmatics The study of the use of language(s)
Comparative Linguistics The study of similar and dissimilar

aspects of common-origin languages
Stylistics The study and interpretation of style and

tones in Languages
What is Linguistics?
In simple terms, linguistics can be referred to as the scientific study of language. It
involves the analysis of the many different aspects such as the meaning, form and
context of language. Studying linguistics will make you familiar with the different
components that make up a language. These aspects of Linguistics are also divided
into the following types of linguistics:
● Phonology: The sounds in a speech in cognitive terms

● Phonetics: The study of sounds in a speech in physical terms
● Syntax: The study of formation and structure of sentences
● Semantics: The study of meanings
● Morphology: The study of the formation of words
● Pragmatics: The study of the use of language(s)
Linguists also analyse and study the effects and influences of different factors including
the social, historical, political, cultural etc. on language.
Branches of Linguistics
The field of Linguistics is vast and covers a range of different subfields. Here are the
main branches of Linguistics:
● Psycholinguistics: The psychological aspects of Language & Linguistics

● Sociolinguistics: The study of the impact of society on Language & Linguistics
● Applied Linguistics: The study of real-life applications of Linguistics
● Computational Linguistics: The study of spoken and written language in
computations & programming
● Comparative Linguistics: The study of similar and dissimilar aspects of
common-origin languages
● Historical Linguistics: The study of evolution and origins of Languages
● Stylistics: The study and interpretation of style and tones in Languages
Applied Linguistics
Applied Linguistics is a branch of linguistics which is involved in the identification,

investigation and providing solutions for real life issues relating to language. It is an
interdisciplinary field, drawing knowledge from different academic fields like psychology,
sociology, anthropology etc.
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics is the branch of linguistics that deals with the effect of society or social
factors on language. It is involved in the study of the effects and interactions between
language and different social factors like ethnicity, social class, gender, cultural norms
etc.
Computational Linguistics
Computational Linguistics is an interdisciplinary branch of linguistics which is concerned

with the study and perception of spoken and written language from a computational
perspective. It combines concepts from computer science, programming and coding
with linguistics to determine how language functions in the context of computing and
operating systems.
Psycholinguistics
Psycholinguistics deals with the psychological aspects of language. This is one of the
branches of linguistics that is involved in the study of the different psychological factors
that control the processes of acquiring, understanding and use of language by human
beings.
Comparative Linguistics
Comparative Linguistics is one of the sought-after branches of linguistics that is involved

in the study of identifying similar and dissimilar properties between different languages
of a common origin. It studies the development of languages through a comparative
analysis of two or more different languages evolved from a single parent language.
Historical Linguistics
One of the important branches of linguistics, historical linguistics studies the evolution
and changes in languages through periods of time. It analyses how and in what ways
language changes over time, and also involves the reconstruction of past forms of
languages.
Stylistics
Another key mention amongst the various branches of Linguistics, Stylistics deals with
the study and interpretation of style and tones in both written and spoken language. It
involves the analysis of different features of style, including but not limited to the use of
symbolism, dialogues, regional accents, rhyme, sentence structure etc.
Top Universities for Linguistics
Now that you are aware of the different branches of Linguistics that you can specialise
in, let’s take a look at some of the universities around the world which are famous for
linguistics studies. Here are the top universities around the world for linguistics
according to the QS World University Rankings 2020:
University Country Rank
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States 1
University of Massachusetts Amherst United States 2
The University of Edinburgh United Kingdom 3
University of Cambridge United Kingdom 4
Harvard University United States 5

University of Oxford United Kingdom 6
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States 7
Stanford University United States 8
University of Maryland, College Park United States 9
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) United States 10
Career Options for Linguistics
Getting a degree in linguistics opens up a number of career pathways for you. The skills
attained while pursuing a linguistics degree enable you to take up jobs in a variety of
sectors such as education, language services, publishing etc. Some of the popular job
positions for a degree in linguistics that you can choose from include:
● Speech Therapist
● Lexicographer
● Language Translator
● Research Associate
● Interpreter
● Translator
● Copy Editor
● Writer
● Audiologist
● Language Teacher
● Proofreader
● Professor
● Copywriter
● Accent Coach
● Public Librarian
● Teaching Assistant
● Social Researcher
Scope and Branches of Linguistics
Linguistics is a vast and ever-evolving field of study as languages form an important

part of human communication. The most popular subfields of linguistics where there is
an advanced scope are:
● Phonology
● Phonetics
● Semantics
● Historical Linguistics
● Computational Linguistics
● Syntax
● Pragmatics
● Psycholinguistics
● Sociolinguistics
From sociology, computer science, language to history, psychology and real-life

applications, Linguistics is filled with extensive scope to explore varied careers in. Here
are the key employment areas to build a successful career in Linguistics:
● Lexicography
● Teaching
● Linguistics Research
● Social Psychology
● Sociology
● Speech and Language Therapy
● Editing, Proofreading & Translations
● Computer Science and Programming
● Anthropology
● Historical Research

Branches of Linguistics

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Branches of Linguistics

Phonology The sounds in a speech in cognitive

Psycholinguistics The psychological aspects of Language &

Historical Linguistics The study of evolution and origins of

Computational Linguistics The study of spoken and written language

Applied Linguistics The study of real-life applications of

Phonetics The study of sounds in a speech in

Syntax The study of formation and structure of

Semantics The study of meanings

Morphology The study of the formation of words

Pragmatics The study of the use of language(s)

Comparative Linguistics The study of similar and dissimilar

Stylistics The study and interpretation of style and

● Phonology: The sounds in a speech in cognitive terms

● Psycholinguistics: The psychological aspects of Language & Linguistics

Applied Linguistics is a branch of linguistics which is involved in the identification,

Computational Linguistics is an interdisciplinary branch of linguistics which is concerned

Comparative Linguistics is one of the sought-after branches of linguistics that is involved

Top Universities for Linguistics

University Country Rank

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States 1

University of Massachusetts Amherst United States 2

The University of Edinburgh United Kingdom 3

University of Cambridge United Kingdom 4

Harvard University United States 5

University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States 7

Stanford University United States 8

University of Maryland, College Park United States 9

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) United States 10

Career Options for Linguistics

Scope and Branches of Linguistics

Linguistics is a vast and ever-evolving field of study as languages form an important

From sociology, computer science, language to history, psychology and real-life

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