Linguistics

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Linguistics is the scientific study of language,examining it both as an abstract system and in its psychological and social contexts. Linguistics focuses on how the human mind structures, processes, and acquires language and on how language use is an integral part of human interaction. With the central role played by language in the social world, linguistics is situated at the intellectual intersection of the humanities and the sciences, including the social, biological, and behavioral sciences. Accordingly, students receive broad training that cuts across and breaks down traditional boundaries between disciplines.

Degree Requirements

See degree requirements for a detailed listing of the Linguistics B.A. requirements.

Goals for Student Learning in the Major

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics provides students with a broad introduction to the field. Upon successful completion of their degree, students will be able to:

  • understand the basis for approaching language from a scientific perspective
  • analyze and work with formal systems
  • appreciate the psychological and social issues surrounding languages
  • appreciate the applied nature of linguistics, that is, how it can enhance our understanding of environment and social problems
  • clarify the nature of language without passing value judgments
  • engage in data analysis, problem-solving, and logical thinking
  • understand how languages differ from each other on various levels
  • understand how linguistic knowledge is acquired
  • appreciate different teaching methodologies and theories that support them
  • understand how languages vary from person to person and region to region
  • understand how the structure of language can be represented
  • understand the genetic relationships among world languages

Prospects for Linguistics Graduates

Students majoring in Linguistics will de velop skills that will be valuable in many fields including:

  • computer programming
  • artificial intelligence
  • elementary education, as a teacher or counselor
  • secondary education as a teacher, professor, administrator
  • teaching English as a second language either in the United States or abroad
  • translation and interpretation
  • language documentation of and fieldwork on indigenous and minority languages
  • foreign language teaching
  • publishing, as a technical writer or a journalist
  • standardized testing
  • lexicography (constructing and working on dictionaries)
  • language consultant, assisting in such fields as law and medicine
  • speech therapy
  • foreign service, as a diplomat or embassy administrator
  • other governmental work, such as the FBI, CIA, etc.

Some graduates from the UH Hilo Linguistics Department have entered graduate programs and have earned graduate degrees at the master’s and doctoral level in linguistics as well as in other areas of specialization related to language and language teaching.

Contributions to the UH Hilo General Education Program

Linguistics is an important component of a liberal arts education. The Linguistics program recommends Linguistics 102: Introduction to Linguistics to students wishing to choose a linguistics course to fulfill part of their General Education requirements. Background in linguistics will be useful for majors in anthropology, English, foreign languages, Japanese Studies, Hawaiian Studies, psychology, and communication as well as for students seeking licensure or certificates in education, Hawaiian, and Teaching English as a Second Language.

Special Aspects of the Program

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is one of only a few colleges and universities in the United States to offer a bachelor of arts in linguistics. The program offers a broad range of courses taught by experts in the field. We provide students with a strong general background in both theoretical and applied linguistics, including courses related to language learning and teaching. We also are proud to be able to offer specialized courses in Japanese and Hawaiian linguistics.

Linguistics Faculty and Staff