SchoolOfEnglish.

BA in English Language & Linguistics

What is Linguistics?

“ 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.” Professor David Crystal

What do linguists study?The work of linguists falls into two main areas: language structure and language use.

Linguists interested in language structure consider the formal properties of language, including word structure (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), speech sounds and the rules and patterns between them (phonetics and phonology), and meaning in language (semantics and pragmatics).

Linguists also study the way that language is used, and this can cover a very broad range of subjects, since language enters almost every area of human activity. Examples include: psycholinguistics (the psychology of language acquisition and use); historical linguistics and the history of languages; applied linguistics (using linguistic knowledge to help in real-world situations like language teaching); sociolinguistics and discourse analysis (language use in social contexts); and stylistics (the use of different styles in language).

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English Language and Linguistics at SheffieldThe School of English at the University of Sheffield is one of the largest and most successful English departments in the UK. We achieve consistently outstanding results in the National Student Satisfaction survey and are proud to be ranked second in the UK for Linguistics in the Complete University Guide 2017 – an accolade that demonstrates the outstanding strengths in Linguistics research, learning and teaching at the University of Sheffield.

• Theory: Core Level 1 modules and advanced Level 2-3 electives give you a foundation in Linguistic theory

– including the sound (phonetics, phonology), structure (morphology, syntax), and meaning (semantics) of human languages.

• Flexibility: Tailor your study of linguistics to all aspects of human experience, with options in:

• Experimental linguistics (psycholinguistics, language acquisition, methodology)

• History of English and Linguistics

• Sociolinguistics and Dialectology

• Discourse and Conversation Analysis

• Literary Linguistics

• Interdisciplinary: Sheffield’s English Language and Linguistics programme is uniquely situated within the larger School of English, and our students get the chance to interface with our other programmes in Literature, Language and Literature, and Theatre. This cohesive structure engenders a wide array of interdisciplinary opportunities for students, ranging from co-taught modules to interdisciplinary research projects combining literature and linguistic theory.

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I N D E P E N D E N T • T R U S T E DUNIVERSITY GUIDE

T H E C O M P L E T E

2nd in UK for Linguistics

The shape of your degree Our programme is carefully designed to both give you a solid foundation in linguistic theory, and to link this theory to the huge array of real-life contexts in which language is used. In your first year you take courses in four important sub-areas of linguistics:

• theoretical linguistic structure

• historical linguistics

• language use

• experimental linguistics

First year foundations

Semester 1:• Sounds and Structures of English

These modules teach you the tools to identify speech sounds, parts of speech and sentence structure, as well as how English relates to other human languages.

• History of English This module covers what has influenced and shaped the development of the English language, and introduces you to the tools used in historical linguistics.

Semester 2:• Varieties of English

In this module, you will learn about how and why languages vary, attitudes towards regional variation, and the basic tools of sociolinguistic analysis.

• Introduction to Research Methods in Linguistics This module will introduce you to the basic methodological tools used in experimental linguistic research.

Second year and beyondThroughout the remainder of your degree, you can tailor your degree by expanding on any (or all) of these four areas. You can also take modules from other programmes in the School of English such as literary linguistics, language teaching pedagogy or creative writing, or add modules from other departments such as a foreign language.

Visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/english for details of all our module choices*.

*Please note that we regularly update our programmes, so the list of module choices may vary from year to year.

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Get involved Student ResearchFrom your first day on campus, there are opportunities to participate in the active linguistics research community at Sheffield.

• All About Linguistics: A Linguistics web-resource for the general public, completely written and designed by Sheffield undergraduates of all levels. www.allaboutlinguistics.com

• Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE): Partner with a member of academic staff to assist with cutting edge research. www.sheffield.ac.uk/sure

• Undergraduate Dissertations: At level 3, students have the option to design and conduct their own supervised research, culminating in a dissertation.

• Centre for Linguistic Research: A cross-departmental research community of Sheffield linguists. www.sheffield.ac.uk/linguistics

Make your voice heard!There is a lot to get involved with aside from your studies. From volunteering to student representation, part-time work, and Union sports and societies, there really is something for everyone. As part of the School of English, which includes programmes in Literature, Language and Literature, and Theatre, you are part of a vibrant arts community, with access to unique opportunities in performance and creative writing.

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Study AbroadStudents from the School of English can spend the second year of their degree programme at one of our partner universities in Europe, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or the USA. You can also choose to spend up to eight weeks on a Summer School at one of our partner universities in Europe or further afield.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/globalopps

Work PlacementsOur University Placement Team can help you find short-term, summer or year-long work placements - a great way to gain valuable skills and workplace experience. To see the full range of placement opportunities including our Degrees with Employment Experience visit

www.sheffield.ac.uk/placements/students

Sheffield – an extraordinary place. Sheffield is a lively city where you will never be short of things to see or do. You’ll find the city is home to hundreds of events with many festivals, covering music, art, film and much more. With the largest theatre complex outside of London and fantastic places to visit such as the Millennium Gallery and the Winter Gardens, Sheffield is a great place to live. Get a flavour of Sheffield’s culture at www.ourfaveplaces.co.uk

Our Students’ Union has been voted no 1 in the UK for the last eight years (Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey).

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What our students say“I’ve made great friends, studied something I love in the way I want to study it, in a department which supports me, and had a pretty good time along the way.”

“Overall, I would say my studies have completely changed me. When I started here, I was shy and lacking confidence in my abilities. I feel I have blossomed into a more vocal and competent communicator. If I were to recommend this course and University to anybody, I’d do it with honesty and passion, as I feel it has nurtured me as an individual.”

“Lecturers are fantastic: passionate, eloquent and inspiring.”

“Innovative teaching, excellent resources and varied assessment methods make the course extremely diverse. The support networks that are in place, such as the personal tutor scheme and office hours, help you to reflect upon your learning and progress.”

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Post-graduation opportunities Because language is part of every single aspect of human life, an English Language and Linguistics degree applies to a vast array of career paths.

Career optionsOur students have an extremely high success rate at finding employment after graduation, often going into areas such as:

• Language and/or Linguistics research

• Teaching – in schools, colleges, universities, & TESOL/TEFL

• Speech and language therapy

• IT, Language Recognition, AI

• Media, law, accountancy, marketing, PR

• Our excellent Careers Service offers advice and support whilst you are at Sheffield and for three years after you graduate. Visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/english/ugc/careers for information tailored to students in the School of English.

Developing career skillsAt all levels of our programme, we teach students to apply theories about language and linguistics in innovative ways, grounding language in a human context. These include:

• Modules based around partnerships with local businesses.

• Wide variety of assessment methods designed to give you practical work skills;

• posters, presentations, exams, essays, reports, data visualisation, data mining, reflection, research planning…

• The structure of English Language and Linguistics modules specifically encourages you to develop skills in:

• Numeracy

• Data analysis

• Communication/presentation

• Critical thinking

• Creativity

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View from an alumnus Emily Ware BA(Hons) graduated in 2012. Here she shares her experience of studying English Language & Linguistics at the University of Sheffield.

Before starting my studies at Sheffield, I was a little apprehensive, as might be expected of any beginning student. I knew that I loved English, but I was naturally nervous. But, from the very first Linguistics lecture, I knew that I had made the right decision. Not only is the University of Sheffield a great place to study, but the School of English does everything possible to make your time at Sheffield unforgettable.

My interests in linguistics prior to starting the course were primarily in child language acquisition. The module that focused on this was key for me, particularly as I am now training to be a Primary School teacher. It is extremely helpful to have an understanding of how children acquire the ability to speak, read and write. Though this remained a core interest of mine, little did I know just how diverse a discipline linguistics is!

After studying Sounds of English, I found phonetics (the study of speech sounds) fascinating! This complemented the other module that I loved: Varieties of English. Both of these modules, whilst building the foundations for my linguistics study, played a part in my decision to study attitudes towards a regional dialect of English for my third year dissertation.

I thought that the staff at the University would be quite intimidating – they all carry out fascinating research in various fields of linguistics. I was in awe! I needn’t have worried, though. You soon realise that the staff are so passionate about their areas of linguistics, and they want to inspire you to find your niche in linguistics, too. You are encouraged to find the area in which you will excel. Linguistics has something for everybody!

The modules are tailored to the students, to ensure that you perform as well as you can. They are assessed in a variety of ways, meaning that if, like me, you struggle under the pressure of exams, there are other assessments that will play to your strengths. From presentations, to posters, to creating learning resources, the variation keeps the modules interesting and individual.

The one down side to studying linguistics at Sheffield? It goes so quickly! Before you know it you’re graduating. So the most important piece of advice I can offer to prospective students is to enjoy your time studying, and make the most of it. You will get back whatever you put into the three years.

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Some linguistics challenges Here are some linguistics challenges to whet your appetite and encourage you to think about some of the issues you might consider on a language and linguistics course.

You can find the answer to each challenge, along with further information, online by visiting www.ell-admissions.dept.shef.ac.uk

Warm-up Quiz1. What is the difference between a knight

and knave?

2. What do you eat with your ghoti?

3. How many words are there in the sentence: The cats talked and the dogs walked – 7, 6 or 2?

4. Do sentences grow on trees?

5. Can Colourless green ideas sleep furiously?

6. Who taught you to speak?

Beige Hair and Blonde CarsIf blonde hair is acceptable, why not a blonde car?

A beige car is fine, so how about beige hair?

Accents Make Your Food ExcitingKnorr cooking sauces once had a TV advert with the catch phrase: ‘Just say Knorr to boring food,’ spoken by Vernon Kay. Why would the catch phrase have been less effective if David Cameron had been the speaker?

Wonderful EveningsWhat linguistic process lies behind this joke?

‘I’ve had a wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it’ - Groucho Marx

Say What You Mean and Mean What You SayPresumably, the person who wrote the sign below was not being funny. Can you see an amusing (or even disturbing!) side to the sign? How does this come about?

Language FamiliesLook at the following table which gives translations of English words in Latin and Greek. What evidence is there that these languages might be related? (Hint: look for systematic differences in sounds).

English Latin Greek fish piscis (ikhthys) father pater pater foot ped- pod- for pro para

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What do you know?!Which of the following is not an acceptable (grammatical) question in English? Try to define what is wrong with it as precisely as you can (note, you may find this tricky, so spend 10 minutes having a go, and then check your answer online).

• What did you think Peter hit?

• What did you think that Peter hit?

• What did you think hit Bill?

• What did you think that hit Bill?

King of the Language LearnersYou do not need to be a linguist to notice that children’s early language is quite different from the way adults speak. What do you think the child in the following exchange is trying to say? Why is he having trouble getting his father to understand?

Baby: Daddy, daddy king, daddy king …, k … k … daddy king.

Father: Daddy king?

Baby: Daddy shing, ching, daddy k … key … king.

Father: I like kings? He’s got a beard, so he might ... Might be a king. I don’t know but he’s certainly wearing very funny clothes.

Baby: Daddy king, daddy king, daddy king.

Grammar QuizWhat, if anything, is wrong with the following sentences?

1. 10 items or less.

2. To boldly go where no one has gone before.

3. Potato’s special offer!

4. The data is consistent with the prediction.

5. John has decided who to meet with.

For more information about studying English Language & Linguistics at the University of Sheffield, please contact us:

Telephone: 0114 222 0236 Email: english.admissions@sheffield.ac.uk Website: www.sheffield.ac.uk/english

@ShefEnglish facebook.com/UoSSchoolOfEnglish

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© University of Sheffield 2017