Linguistics

What is Linguistic?

Linguistics is the science of language. It is the subject whose practitioners devote their energy to understanding why human language is the way it is. They study the history, acquisition, structure, and use of as many languages as possible 

The linguists have a several definitions of Linguistics :

• “What is linguistics, then? Fundamentally, the field is concerned with the nature of language and (linguistic) communication.” Adrian Akmajian, Richard Demerts, Ann Farmer, and Robert Harnish
• “Linguistics is scientific study of language.” John Lyons
• “Linguistics is concerned with human language as a universal and recognizable part of human behavior and of the human abilities.” Raja T. Nasr

Branch of Linguistic

1. General linguistic generally describes the concepts and categories of a particular language or among all language. It also provides analyzed theory of the language.

Descriptive linguistic describes or gives the data to confirm or refute the theory of particular language explained generally.

2. Micro linguistic is narrower view. It is concerned internal view of language itself (structure of language systems) without related to other sciences and without related how to apply it in daily life. Some fields of micro linguistic:

• Phonetics, the study of the physical properties of sounds of human language
• Phonology, the study of sounds as discrete, abstract elements in the speaker's mind that distinguish meaning
• Morphology, the study of internal structures of words and how they can be modified
• Syntax, the study of how words combine to form grammatical sentences
• Semantics, the study of the meaning of words (lexical semantics) and fixed word combinations (phraseology), and how these combine to form the meanings of sentences
• Pragmatics, the study of how utterances are used (literally, figuratively, or otherwise) in communicative acts
• Discourse analysis, the analysis of language use in texts (spoken, written, or signed)
• Applied linguistic is the branch of linguistic that is most concerned with application of the concepts in everyday life, including language-teaching.

3. Macro linguistic is broadest view of language. It is concerned external view of language itself with related to other sciences and how to apply it in daily life. Some fields of micro linguistic:

• Stylistics, the study of linguistic factors that place a discourse in context.
• Developmental linguistics, the study of the development of linguistic ability in an individual, particularly the acquisition of language in childhood.
• Historical linguistics or Diachronic linguistics, the study of language change.
• Language geography, the study of the spatial patterns of languages.
• Evolutionary linguistics, the study of the origin and subsequent development of language.
• Psycholinguistics, the study of the cognitive processes and representations underlying language use.
• Sociolinguistics, the study of social patterns and norms of linguistic variability.
• Clinical linguistics, the application of linguistic theory to the area of Speech-Language Pathology.
• Neurolinguistics, the study of the brain networks that underlie grammar and communication.
• Biolinguistics, the study of natural as well as human-taught communication systems in animals compared to human language.

Why do We Have to Study Linguistics?

For teachers, especially language teachers, linguistic knowledge is very important, ranging from phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, lexicology subdisciplines, to knowledge of the relationship between language and society and culture. How could it possibleis for a language teacher to practice language skills if they didn't know about phonology; how could they possibly practice writing if they didn't know how to spelling, morphology, syntax, semantics, and lexicology. In addition, as a language teacher they not only have to practice language skills, but also have to explain the rules of language correctly.

Source : 

• The Essencial of Linguistics Scince Raja T Nasr. (1984)
• Language Files, Monica Crabtree & Joyce Powers (1994).