English Linguistics
Welcome to English Linguistics
In English Linguistics we find it important to introduce students to the language system (the phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) of both standard and non-standard varieties of English as well as to the historical stages of the language. Our main research interest and focus in teaching lies on sociolinguistics. Here we are interested in the influence of social variables on English, most prominently those of class and education, ethnicity, gender, and region. In addition, our teaching is fed by the research conducted and publications made by members and associated members of the English Linguistics section on English in Nambia, sociophonetics in Irish English, or various North American as well as British accents and dialects.
Above and beyond that, there is a strong research interest in morphology, language change, standardization processes, causation, fictolinguistics and areas of applied linguistics such as sign language, forensic linguistics, first language acquisition, multilingualism, and English as a lingua franca.
One of the most pressing concerns of the linguistics section of the English Department is to help students to understand and analyze aspects of the English language by researching relevant sources, conducting independent observations, and developing a well-founded approach leading to an academic assessment of the question treated.