Teacher Discussion Forums

What's the difference between Linguistics & Applied Linguistics?

Is Linguistics more theoretical while Applied Linguistics is more practical?

Thanks,
William[/list]

Yes.

Exactly William.

So if I want to teach ESL, should I do a master in Linguistics or Applied Linguistics?

Ah, now that's a different question. It probably depends on where you are and where you want to teach. Where I am (in California) if you want to study to teach ESL there are a lot of Master's degree programs in TEFL/TESL. They include linguistics courses, but are geared towards people who want to teach.

I myself got a Master's in Linguistics, but it was a long long time ago before anyone had heard of a TEFL/TESL degree, and when the audio/lingual approach was pushing out grammar translation.

I've also done a Masters in Linguistics and in my program you had to chose between language testing, adult literacy, or ESL/EFL as a focus.

All three could be argued to be applied linguistics with a theoretical base. Applied linguistics simply means "theory applied" and these three subjects are not exceptions.

Theoretical and Applied linguistics are often confusing to distinguish but generally : theory would be studying things such as semantics, phonology, phonetics, syntax, morphology, studying theories in how language changes, or dies, theories on how language is learned. Applied linguistics would be putting the theory into a specific context : differences between English in NYC and London, a child of the age of 6 going into French Immersion and his/her second language development...

To paint with a really broad brush, go for 'general' linguistics if you have more of a liberal arts leaning (philosophy, history, literature, etc.) and for applied linguistics if you're more of the research-oriented or 'hard science' type.

Of course, they aren't completely mutually-exclusive, as wjserson notes above; there's a theoretical basis to all applied linguistics research, and this research then informs the next 'cycle' of theorizing. Despite specializing in one side of the issue or the other, most grad programs will give you a good taste of both theory and practice.

And, in any case, either focus is a good foundation for teaching ESL/EFL imho.

Oh how interesting Marukosu! I admit that my experience with applied linguistics was limited to one course in graduate school (eons ago as I mentioned) but I found it to be one of the best linguistics courses I had. It was so practical! I could see how linguistics could be used in the real world, instead of esoteric discussions of a theoretical nature. Of course, I never got deeply into research anyway.