LINGUISTICS AND WIDENESS
Studying Linguistics is interesting but getting what to do with it is fascinating. Fascinating, we don’t know what to do with it on the surface. While many claim there are two branches of linguistics, one needs to understand that the invention of things have led to change in things( applied and theoretical linguistics). It is the wideness of linguistics that we keep hearing, the reality seems to be dark. The darkness therein worsens as immediate needs is far from linguistics. Graduates get it twisted. They claim worse is any course that claims to be “wide” in that “you can work anywhere”.
One thing that beckons clarification is that we all need to understand “ you can work anywhere “. This is that we will be trained with analytical thinking and wide mind towards things to the intent that we could go about many things. Life hasn’t been this easy, truth! On the other hand, being able to work anywhere shows there is no preparation towards a single or define direction. Thus, it all seems students are stuffed up with ideas without being able to pick one. It also looks as if we all are going in one direction without a destination. The piety of studying without destination is real.
The problem of studying without destination is not an issue of linguistics but a reality of life. Many people that study “ goal-oriented” courses end up with nothing, in similar case. Thus, let us leave the blaming of air and chase the hare we could see. The whole problem is surrounded around lots of things but chiefly the people involved. The problem is people teaching and learning.
The onus is on the learners. Right, people might not be taught to be excited to learn more. But who is responsible for one’s joy? It is the call of students to find out the pleasure in Linguistics. True, nobody will give you what you want in life, many could only guide you through it. Invariably, you need to be up and doing.
The fact that you’re told that when a course has wide application shows the course has no direction is falsehood. Linguistics though filled with applications has directions. The point is that many don’t specify their goals for doing a thing, linguistics not left behind.
If you would follow the trend of technology, you will need to learn programming languages like Python and R. With this, you will see the “theories” you thought are irrelevant. For someone that would do part of speech tagging, the person must rest on the outputs of theoretical linguists. They have developed the parts which would be used. Then, it would be processed into a laptop as model. Without proper understand, there is nothing like model. Where is the direction?
I feel what kills the most is laziness. You are not what lecturers say you are, you are who you train yourself to be. The state of things is that you live above what you have as result. If you are the best, that is a plus but not reality. If you are average or last, that is never negativity. All things depend on you. All you do is to keep working. What have you been doing?
HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?
You need to get what you want to do first. You needn’t think well. You might want to know the selling points in Linguistics, even in this century. These are Computational Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, Natural Language Processing, Neuro-linguistics and Clinical Linguistics. Find yourself around these courses. Along the line, you will find that one you will do. It might be different but knowledge gained can’t be lost. Keep doing something. Linguistics has directions. Get yourself in one or waste away.
HAVE YOU WONDER?
Have you been wondering that you don’t want to do linguistics but that same thing you have run to isn’t pleasant, neither. Nothing in life is easy. Choose your own fight and battle it. That is it. Business isn’t easy, neither is linguistics. The ease in things is seen in its achievements. Linguistics has advantage because it has novel applications. The applications are long lasting. This is an advantage. Don’t be usurp in procrastination. Go online. Read books. Download videos. Get started.
Again, have you noticed that even you school in the best place has nothing to do with your intelligence? It is that there are many goodies. Choose yours. Groom it, and be the bridegroom. It isn’t a question of you’re in Nigeria, Ghana, UK, US, Germany, etc. Rather, it is a question of whether I have my directions specified.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This directionality of linguistics should be carried out by both lecturers and well wishers, and students.
For lecturers, let individual lecturers include skills in their teaching guides. The issue isn’t about waiting for the government but doing what would impact students. Making impacts waits for no one. It could be as little as learning software, building dictionary, documenting languages, and lots more.
For students, you should be prepared to work. The bulwark rests more on you. Nobody is taming you to be successful. You determine your success. If lecturers seen numbed to your cry, work up to them or GI online. Google is as friendly as you do need. What do you want? What do you wish? How do you want it? Volunteer in positions. Make yourself available to works. There are lots of works flying around. It is time to work.
