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HI-LING
LINGUISTICS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL
Modules
Get started with any learning module;
they don't have to be completed in a particular order
Phonetics is the science of speech sounds, treating the smallest linguistic units. In this module, you will learn about the basics of phonetics, which are consonant and vowel sounds, as well as prosody. You will also get an insight into the application of the science of phonetics.
Syntax is the branch of linguistics that studies the structure, arrangement, and relationships of words in sentences. It explores the principles governing sentence formation, including grammar rules and sentence patterns, to understand how language conveys meaning through its organized and systematic construction.
Pragmatics is the part of linguistics that looks at context. Only by mastering the pragmatic side of communication, interpersonal communication can be successful.
Sociolinguistics is a branch of linguistics which looks at social facts that impact language. Examples are regional differences and how social class influences language use.
Youth language refers to the manner in which adolescents communicate and express their sense of belonging to their peer group. This way of speaking is characterized by a distinct vocabulary and by grammatical variations from the standard language. These differences are influenced by elements such as music, fashion and media.
Bilingualism is a fascinating field of research that focuses on people who speak and use two or more languages in their daily lives. In this module, we look at how bilingualism influences our thinking and social behavior.
Scientific study of the way infants and children naturally acquire and develop their native language skills, encompassing phonological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic aspects.​
Second language acquisition is the process by which people learn and acquire skills in a language other than their first language.​​
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Comparative Linguistics is a discipline that seeks to formulate general principles of language. This is done by comparing languages and finding shared structures and patterns.
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Has the English language always remained unchanged? How has it evolved into the language we use today? Historical linguistics looks at how language changes over time, focussing on different aspects such as phonology (= what are the sounds of a language?), morphology (= how are words put together?), and syntax (= how are sentences formed?).
It is a subfield of linguistics that, through long-lasting records of languages, allows us to gain insights into languages and the communities they are connected to, with the purposes of preserving and learning from them.
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Forensic linguistics is a field that applies linguistic analysis and methodologies to legal contexts, helping to solve crimes and resolve legal disputes. Linguists in this discipline examine written and spoken language to uncover patterns, identify authorship, and provide expert testimony in areas such as criminal investigations, plagiarism cases, and courtroom proceedings.​
Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field that deals with the application of computer and machine learning methods to the processing of natural language. It aims to understand human language through algorithms and models to enhance tasks such as machine translation, text analysis, and automatic speech recognition.