Linguistics examines how language works. It describes how sounds, words, sentences and conversations combine to express and create meaning.

It studies:

the uses of language in everyday life
the ways in which it varies across society and evolves over time
how it is mastered by children
Linguistics has a long history at the University of Edinburgh, and our teaching staff have an excellent reputation for research in this area.

Linguistics is a new subject for nearly all undergraduates, so you will not need any prior knowledge at the beginning of the programme.