Linguistics and English Language MA (Hons)

**Linguistics**<br/><br/>Linguistics explores how language works. It describes how we create meaning through:<br/><br/><br/>* sounds <br/><br/><br/>* words <br/><br/><br/>* sentences <br/><br/><br/>* conversations<br/><br/><br/>It also studies: <br/><br/><br/>* the uses of language in everyday life <br/><br/><br/>* ways in which language varies across society and evolves over time <br/><br/><br/>* how language is mastered by children<br/><br/><br/>Linguistics has a long history at the University of Edinburgh, and our teaching staff have an excellent reputation for research in this area.<br/><br/>**English Language**<br/><br/>Using techniques from modern linguistics, you will analyse the structure of written and spoken English and explore how the language has changed in the course of its history. <br/><br/>As well as the study of change in English, we have a strong tradition of investigating variations of the language, including: <br/><br/><br/>* Scots <br/><br/><br/>* distinct dialects of English <br/><br/><br/>* international variations<br/><br/><br/>You will study modern-day English and Scots and identify the similarities and differences between English and other languages.