linguist
Studies syntax professionally
A linguist is someone who studies language scientifically—analyzing structure, sound systems, meaning, and how languages change over time.
The word also refers to a person skilled in multiple languages: She's a talented linguist who speaks five languages fluently.
The scholarly and polyglot senses often overlap but aren't identical; a theoretical linguist may study language without speaking many.
Alphabetical word reference
- lexicographerDictionary author
- thesaurusSynonym and antonym compendium
- glossaryAlphabetical list with definitions
- definitionStatement of meaning
entry · headword · citation · corpus · concordance · usage · etymology · sense
Smooth linguistic command
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- translationConverting between languages
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- immersionState of being submerged
interference · transfer · interlanguage · native-speaker · L1 · accent · mother-tongue · trilingual
Smallest meaningful language unit
- affixWord-part modifier
- rootUnderground absorbing structure
- stemPlant's central axis
- prefixRoot-modifying front element
suffix · infix · inflection · derivation · conjugation · declension · agglutination · compounding
Regional language variety
- registerRecord officially; vocal range
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
- colloquialCasual, everyday language
vernacular · pidgin · creole · code-switching · idiolect · sociolect · variation · prestige
Minimal distinctive sound unit
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- articulationClear vocal expression
- vowelsLetters with unblocked airflow
- consonantsLetters that aren't vowels
intonation · prosody · allophone · acoustic · speech · stress · pitch · nasality
Language's structural rules
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- clauseProvision in agreement
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
- parseExamine syntax closely
tree · constituents · dependency · generative · Chomsky · transformational · subject · predicate
What something signifies
- referenceDirecting attention elsewhere
- denotationWord's explicit dictionary meaning
- connotationImplied sense, not dictionary
- polysemyWord having related meanings
synonymy · antonymy · pragmatics · presupposition · ambiguity · metaphor · context · inference
Word origin study
- philologyStudy of historical texts
- cognateWord sharing etymological origin
- loanwordImported vocabulary item
- reconstructionRebuilding after destruction
Indo-European · diachronic · comparative · neologism · archaism · borrowing · Sanskrit
One who studies systematically
- professorSenior university teacher
- PhDHighest academic credential
- fieldworkResearch conducted on location
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
informant · elicitation · transcription · analysis · publication · conference · Bloomfield · descriptive
dictionary
Alphabetical word reference
- lexicographerDictionary author
- thesaurusSynonym and antonym compendium
- glossaryAlphabetical list with definitions
definition · entry · headword · citation · corpus · concordance · usage · etymology · sense · compilation
fluency
Smooth linguistic command
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- translationConverting between languages
- interpretationAssigned meaning
immersion · interference · transfer · interlanguage · native-speaker · L1 · accent · mother-tongue · trilingual
morpheme
Smallest meaningful language unit
prefix · suffix · infix · inflection · derivation · conjugation · declension · agglutination · compounding · paradigm
dialect
Regional language variety
- registerRecord officially; vocal range
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
colloquial · vernacular · pidgin · creole · code-switching · idiolect · sociolect · variation · prestige · stigma
phoneme
Minimal distinctive sound unit
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- articulationClear vocal expression
- vowelsLetters with unblocked airflow
consonants · intonation · prosody · allophone · acoustic · speech · stress · pitch · nasality · aspiration
grammar
Language's structural rules
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- clauseProvision in agreement
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
parse · tree · constituents · dependency · generative · Chomsky · transformational · subject · predicate · object
meaning
What something signifies
- referenceDirecting attention elsewhere
- denotationWord's explicit dictionary meaning
- connotationImplied sense, not dictionary
polysemy · synonymy · antonymy · pragmatics · presupposition · ambiguity · metaphor · context · inference · entailment
etymology
Word origin study
- philologyStudy of historical texts
- cognateWord sharing etymological origin
- loanwordImported vocabulary item
reconstruction · Indo-European · diachronic · comparative · neologism · archaism · borrowing · Sanskrit
researcher
One who studies systematically
- professorSenior university teacher
- PhDHighest academic credential
- fieldworkResearch conducted on location
documentation · informant · elicitation · transcription · analysis · publication · conference · Bloomfield · descriptive · theoretical
- linguistscomparativist, etymologist, philologist, phonologist, morphologist
- languageword, words, grammar, spelling, alphabet
- expertsexperts, expert, specialist, masters, specialists
- military personnelsoldiers, soldier, midshipmen, officers, troops
- scholarsscholar, professors, professor, researcher, researchers
- translationtranslator, literal translation, literary translation, free translation, French translation
- linguistic isolationSeparation through unshared speech
- linguistic atlasMaps showing speech patterns
- linguistic purismResistance to language change
- linguistic diffusionTransmission of speech features
- forensic linguisticsLanguage analysis for courts
- linguistic hybridityFusion of language elements