Over the past three years, I’ve gotten used to family and friends asking me what my major is, then pretending to know what the linguistics major actually is, followed by questions about what I’m going to do with it when I graduate. I would then explain that linguistics is the scientific study of language and its structures, which includes concepts such as morphology, the study of the forms of words, and syntax—the study of the arrangement of words and phrases into a coherent and well-formed sentence. Although this constant explanation can be annoying at times, I have really come to appreciate what it means to be in the linguistics and Chinese joint major program, especially as a third-year college student.My interest in language really began to pique during my childhood as an avid reader—my fascination with words and language grew with every book that I read. I would eagerly look up the definitions of words I was unfamiliar with and looked forward to participating in my elementary school’s class spelling bees. My elementary school offered Spanish, which I enjoyed learning, but at the time, the thought of pursuing language as a career had never crossed my mind. In my junior year of high school, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to perform and travel to Italy for a week with my chorale group. I remember my excitement as I counted down the days until we landed in Italy. Because this was the first time that I had ever left the United States, I wasn’t really sure what to expect visiting a foreign country, especially with the language barrier. Luckily, all of the students were given informational packets with common Italian words, phrases, and customs in order to prepare for the trip. After receiving the packet, I read it front to back several times and a couple more times on the plane ride. Upon our arrival, my apprehension subsided as I began to take in the bustling energy of the beautiful city of Rome. After touring the city for a little bit, we went to a restaurant and I ordered pizza in English because I was still very nervous about attempting any Italian. By the fourth day of the trip, I decided to let go of my fears and order food, and then ask for the check in Italian. The waiter was impressed with the fluidity of the phrases I had spoken and actually complimented me on my Italian, which I had only recently picked up from both my new surroundings and the information packet we received.
The waiter’s compliment definitely made me feel more confident in my language skills. Besides the amazing Italian cuisine we consumed and the spectacular sights we took in throughout the week, the opportunity helped to enhance my interest in learning more about how people acquire their language, linguistic patterns, and regional dialects. I loved the feeling of traveling and interacting with the local people. The trip led me to rethink my decision of pursuing psychology in college and consider being an international translator instead. To me, linguistics is so much more than just an R2 gen ed offered at UMass. It’s a fascinating, analytical, and challenging field to go into. Frequently, linguistics majors find that learning another language is a way to find common ground with other people and make connections with them. From all these connections, we often find ourselves wanting to work with other people for our future careers. From teaching English as a second language and translating, to even working for the FBI, there are so many options that linguistics majors can consider for a career.
At UMass, the linguistics major is also offered in joint-major programs, such as Chinese, philosophy, and psychology, which allows you to explore other subjects related with linguistics. Taking a language course along with your linguistics courses is helpful as well, because it allows you to better appreciate the aspects of the language you are currently learning. At the same time, you are also taught how to apply science and problem solving to language with these aspects in mind. The linguistics major also allows students to participate in team-based learning activities, interactive laboratory-based experiments and studies of the above concepts. If your interest was piqued by any of these concepts, then you should strongly consider checking out a linguistics course!
