We invite you to learn more about the various areas of inquiry that comprise the field of linguistics via the articles below written by prominent liguists and leaders of the LSA. In addition to these articles, the LSA also publishes a series of FAQ pamphlets intended for a general audience.

An Overview by G. Nunberg/T. Wasow

Applied Linguistics by G. R. Tucker

Computers and Language by J. Hobbs

Discourse Analysis by D. Tannen

Endangered Languages by A. Woodbury

Grammar by S. Chung/G. Pullum

History of Modern Linguistics by F. Newmeyer

Language and the Brain by S. Crain

Linguistics and Literature by D. Freeman

Language and Thought by D. Slobin

Language Diversity by B. Comrie

Languages in Contact by D. Winford

Language Variation and Change by S. Thomason

An article entitled "The Field of Linguistics" was first published by the Linguistic Society of America in 1982. Facilitated by a Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, it was written to explain the discipline to the general public. A new edition was edited by Geoffrey Nunberg and Thomas Wasow in 1997. The plan is to update this page periodically and to expand the coverage of areas. If you are interested in updating an article, or writing a new one, please contact the LSA by clicking here.

What is 'Correct' Language?: Prescriptivism by E. Finegan

Machine Translation by M. Kay

Meaning (Pragmatics & Semantics) by W. Ladusaw

Multilingualism by G. Valdés

Neurolinguistics by L. Menn 

Slips of the Tongue: Windows to the Mind by V. Fromkin

Sociolinguistics by W. Wolfram

The Sounds of Speech by M. Halle 

Writing by W. Bright