Linguistics is the study of language and its structure.

Linguistics is interdisciplinary in nature, intersecting

with the Humanities and Social Sciences as it inquires
on the basic element that allows societies to
communicate ideas across space and time.

• The term linguistics was derived from the Latin

word “lingua”, which refers to language.
 Since the late 1500s, individuals who study language
have been called linguists.

Linguistics, as a discipline, deals with three principal

components:
• sound,
• structure, and
• meaning
 LINGUISTICS PRINCIPAL
COMPONENTS
Sound is divided into Phonetics and Phonology.

• Phonetics, studies human speech sounds,

• Phonology studies the principles governing sound
systems of languages.
 LINGUISTICS PRINCIPAL
COMPONENTS
Structure is divided into Morphology and Syntax.

• Morphology, studies language structure from its

morphic units or root words,
• Syntax studies sentence structure such as grammar
The Fields of
Linguistics
• Historical Linguistics, otherwise known as diachronic
linguistics, studies how a
particular language changed over time.
• Sociolinguistics examines how language is used in relation
to people’s sociocultural environment. It considers the
following:
(1) the social background of the addresser and the addressee;
(2) the relationship of the addresser and the addressee; and
(3) the context and manner through which the
communication transpired.
The Fields of
Linguistics
• Developmental Linguistics analyzes the development of
language acquisition, language retention, and language loss and
bilingualism. It studies the development of linguistic ability
among children and the stages by which they gradually come to
use language.
• Neurolinguistics studies the physiological mechanisms by which
the brain processes information in relation to language. It
investigates how the human brain functions when used in
communication and how it uses information to experiment and
elaborate on linguistic and psycholinguistic theories.
 IMPORTANCE OF
LINGUISTICS
Language enables humans to communicate more efficiently so
they can collaborate and survive in their environment. As various
forms of languages developed, there was a need to understand and
document these languages to promote cross-cultural dialogues and
understanding. With the initial goal of uncovering the historical
roots of languages, Linguistics later transformed to a field studying
more complex inquiries on the nexus of human nature and the
development of language.