Language and Linguistics: Course Topics

• What is a language? 

• Where do languages come from? 

• Why are there so many languages? 

• What would a perfect language look like?

• What’s a linguist and what does a linguist do?

• What does it mean to use a language and to use it correctly?

• How does a language differ among its speakers?

• What’s the difference between a spoken language and a written language?

• What’s the connection between a language and the culture which uses it?

• What came first: language or thinking?

• What does “knowing” a language mean? 

• What’s the difference between studying and acquiring a language? 

• How does the brain process language?

• What criteria are used to describe a language?

• How do languages differ on these criteria?

• How is language difficulty determined?

• Is English a complicated language?

• What does “knowing” a language mean? 

• What’s involved in studying versus learning a language? 

• How is language proficiency determined?

• Can a person be equally proficient in two languages?

• How does someone learn their first language? How about their second or third language?

• Can adults learn a second language? If so, do they face any special challenges?

• What is the range of goals that are included under language learning?

• What are good/better/best ways to go about learning another language?

• Are you the same or different in another language than the you in English?