How is language constructed and which aspects can be distinguished and studied? How are these aspects realized in different language families and specific languages?
The programme has the following specializations: The
Human Language System (THLS) and Language Development and Variation
(LDV).
Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics is a one-year Master's track
of the MA Linguistics which is based on the strengths of the
Groningen Linguistics sections (English, German, French, Italian,
Russian, Spanish, Swedish).
It gives students a broad and attractive, but coherent and
cohesive, range of options, oriented along the following
approaches:
The track focuses on language with all its complexities. The
main focus is how to make sense of complex data in order to be able
to study the structure, variation, change, and development of
language, so as to obtain a better understanding of the human
language faculty.
It covers the principal subfields of linguistic study (sound,
structure, meaning), and offers plenty of opportunity for students
to focus on a particular language or language family (working with
specialists in different modern European languages) or to pursue
their interests in general linguistics.
Are you interested in a research oriented career? Please also check our Research Master's Programme of Linguistics.