Jennifer Lang-Rigal, Coordinator
Phone: 540-568-6886
Email: langrijr@jmu.edu
The interdisciplinary minor in linguistics offers courses founded on the core concepts of linguistics, methods of linguistic analysis, modern linguistic theories and the application of linguistics to other areas. The program is drawn from a variety of departments and colleges offering diverse courses whose approaches to linguistics range from theoretical linguistics, to anthropological linguistics, to Spanish linguistics and speech pathology. The purpose of this program is to provide the student with a fundamental understanding of human language and the different ways language impacts our lives. This program is relevant for students interested in a variety of professions, including but not limited to: language teaching, interpretation, translation, speech-language pathology and audiology, language policy and planning, language documentation and revitalization, and computer sciences/natural language processing. Students will develop their knowledge of their native and second languages through metalinguistic inquiry, consequently enriching their ability to engage more broadly with the forms and functions of linguistic communication. The linguistics minor will encourage students to appreciate linguistic diversity, think about language-focused discrimination and recognize the importance of language in efforts to encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion.
