What is applied linguistics?

So we've explained that linguistics is the scientific study of language. Linguists observe patterns
within or across languages to try to understand how we produce, comprehend, and use language.
Linguists describe and analyse language-- for example, how language is learned and used by
speakers, how languages change, evolve, die, or emerge. How languages are similar or different to
each other.

A linguist might aim to provide an accurate and complete description of a particular language. For
example, a remote Amazonian tribal language. Or focus on a particular aspect of a language, such as
an area of grammar or pronunciation. For example, question formation in Chinese or comparison of
word stress patterns in English and French.

As well as being interested in language structure, linguists also study the way that language is used,
and this can cover a very broad range of subjects as language is central to so many areas of human
activity. If we consider the components of linguistics, the main branches of linguistics can be
grouped according to their focus on sound, structure, and meaning.

Phonetics, for example, involves the detailed analysis of speech sounds, how they're produced and
perceived, and how they can be analysed acoustically. Phonology, on the other hand, is the idea of
the sound systems and patterns within a particular language. The second group, focusing on the
structure of words and sentences, includes morphology, the study of word formations and
combinations in a language, and syntax, which considers the rules that govern the sentence
structure. The third group, concerned with the study of meaning, includes semantics, which focuses
on the meaning of words and phrases, and pragmatics, which explores how we use language to
create meaning in different interactive contexts.

As well as these core areas of linguistics, there are many fields which combine a focus on language
with some other discipline. Psycholinguistics, for example, investigates the psychology of language
acquisition and use. Historical linguistics explores the history of languages. The field of
computational linguistics draws on the expertise of linguists and computer scientists to deepen our
theoretical knowledge of natural language processing, but also has many practical applications, such
as the rapidly expanding areas of speech recognition and speech synthesis.

There are many other disciplines which involve applying linguistic knowledge to an understanding of
real-world concerns-- in other words, applied linguistics. The boundary between linguistics and
applied linguistics is not clear cut, but one way of describing applied linguistics is, as Chris Brumfit
says, "the theoretical and empirical investigation of real-world problems in which language is a
central issue."

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The most well-developed branch in applied linguistics is the teaching and learning of languages,
particularly Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or TESOL. Sometimes a term is used as
if this were the only area linguistics is relevant to, but even within the field of education, the scope
of applied linguistics is broader, including areas such as migrant education, bilingualism, and
multilingualism. Because language and communication is so central to our daily lives, there are many
other areas where linguistics is socially relevant.

To give just a few examples, the field of forensic linguistics focuses on the application of linguistic
knowledge to the law and legal processes, where clinical linguistics considers medical applications
such as language or speech impairment. The large and growing discipline of sociolinguistics looks at
many areas where language use relates to social issues, such as inequality, identity, and power. One
of the key findings emerging from research in sociolinguistics is that language variables such as
accent, dialect, and speech style are closely related to social inequalities and injustices of various
kinds.

Similarly, linguists working in the fields of business and intercultural communication are interested in
improving communication between people of different social and cultural backgrounds. Applied
linguists are also becoming increasingly involved in the analysis of national and international
language policy and planning issues, as well as debates about language choice and language rights.
As for instance with languages used by minority groups, such as Breton speakers in Brittany in
Western France and Gaelic speakers in Scotland. These applications of linguistics in broader society
will be discussed further later in this unit.

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