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Linguist Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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linguist

[หˆlษชล‹ษกwษชst ]

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

study of language

Linguistics is the scientific study of language and its structure, including the analysis of language form, language meaning, and language in context.

Synonyms

language study, philology.

Examples of usage

  • Linguists study the sounds, words, grammar, and meaning of languages.
  • Through linguistics, we can understand how languages evolve and how they are used in different cultures.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Pop Culture

  • Famous linguists like Noam Chomsky revolutionized how we think about language and its structure in the 20th century.
  • In movies and books, character linguists often solve mysteries by decoding languages or communicating with foreign groups.
  • Linguistics-themed TV shows, like 'The Big Bang Theory', often humorously portray linguistsโ€™ love for language quirks.

Science

  • Linguists often study phonetics, which is how sounds are made and heard, helping with language learning and teaching.
  • Research indicates bilingual individuals may have cognitive advantages, such as better problem-solving skills.
  • Sociolinguistics is a branch that looks at how language varies based on social factors like region or class.

Education

  • Linguists contribute significantly to creating educational materials for language learners around the world.
  • Many universities offer degrees in linguistics, blending aspects of psychology, anthropology, and cognitive science.
  • Language preservation projects often rely on the expertise of linguists to document and revitalize endangered languages.

History

  • Throughout history, linguists have played a key role in translating ancient manuscripts, revealing lost cultures.
  • In the 19th century, linguists developed the 'comparative method' to study how languages evolve over time.
  • The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, proposed by linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf, explores how language influences thought.

Origin of 'linguist'

Main points about word origin

  • The word 'linguist' comes from the Latin word 'lingua', which means 'tongue' or 'language'.
  • In the early 19th century, the term started to be used more widely to describe people with special knowledge of languages.
  • Before 'linguist', terms like 'philologist' were used, which specified a focus on ancient texts and languages.

The term 'linguist' originated from the Latin word 'lingua' meaning 'tongue' or 'language'. It has been used to refer to language experts and scholars since ancient times. The field of linguistics as a scientific study of language started to develop in the 19th century, with key contributions from scholars like Ferdinand de Saussure and Noam Chomsky.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,193, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.