Overview

The BA (Hons) Linguistics at the University of York explores the structure, use and development of human language. The course examines how languages are organised and understood, while considering the cognitive, social and cultural factors that influence communication and language use.

What You'll Learn

• The structure of language, including sounds, words, sentences and meaning.

• Phonetics and phonology, examining speech sounds and sound systems.

• Morphology and syntax, exploring how words and sentences are formed and organised.

• Semantics and pragmatics, focusing on meaning and how context affects communication.

• Sociolinguistics and the relationship between language, society and identity.

• Psycholinguistics and the cognitive processes involved in language production and understanding.

• Language change, variation and the development of languages over time.

• Linguistic research methods, data analysis, critical thinking and academic communication.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to describe and analyse the principal components of human language and explain how they interact to create meaningful communication. They will understand how linguistic variation can be influenced by social, cultural and cognitive factors and how languages change over time. Students will develop the ability to collect, examine and interpret linguistic data using appropriate analytical methods. They will also be able to evaluate competing explanations, apply linguistic concepts to unfamiliar examples and construct clear, evidence-based arguments. The course strengthens independent research, analytical reasoning and communication skills while providing a systematic approach to understanding language as a complex human phenomenon.