How is language constructed and which aspects can be distinguished and studied? How are these aspects realized in different language families and specific languages?
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 department (English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish). Students can choose between two specializations: The Human Language System (THLS) and Language Development and Variation (LDV).
This MA track offers 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.
