What is linguistics? How do linguists study language? -- Linguistics 101

This brief introduction to linguistics asks simple questions about language and languages, then follows the various branches of linguistics that have arisen in attempt to answer those questions. Take this presentation as a rapid tour through modern linguistics or as a thoughtful inquiry into what language is and how we could understand it. For specific lessons that introduce many of these topics - including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, historical linguistics and logic - head to: