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What does a Linguist do?

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Brenna Goyette
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert

Published 3 min read

A linguist is someone who studies language. They may specialize in a particular language, or they may study how languages work in general. Linguists may also work on developing new ways to communicate, or on preserving endangered languages.

Linguist job duties include:

  • Engage in research on language-related topics
  • Experiment with new ways to analyze and interpret data
  • Develop theories about how language works
  • Write papers and give presentations about your research
  • Teach courses on linguistics and related topics
  • Advise students working on linguistics projects
  • Serve on departmental committees
  • Work with other faculty members on collaborative projects
  • Maintain an active program of research

Linguist Job Requirements

A linguist is someone who studies language. Linguists can work in a variety of fields, such as education, research, or speech pathology. To become a linguist, you will need to earn a bachelor's degree in linguistics or a related field. Many linguists also earn a master's degree or doctorate. Some linguists may also need to earn certification from professional organizations.

Linguist Skills

  • Bilingual
  • Trilingual
  • Quadrilingual
  • Multilingual
  • Linguistics
  • Second Language Acquisition
  • Language Teaching
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Neurolinguistics
  • Computational Linguistics

Related: Top Linguist Skills: Definition and Examples

How to become a Linguist

A linguist is someone who studies language. Linguists can study any language, living or dead, and can specialize in anything from the history of a language to how it is used today. Some linguists even create new languages! If you’re interested in studying language, here are a few things you can do to become a linguist.

1. Get a degree in linguistics. Many universities offer undergraduate and graduate programs in linguistics. A degree in linguistics will give you a solid foundation in the study of language.

2. Learn multiple languages. The more languages you know, the better equipped you will be to study them. Not only will you be able to understand more languages, but you’ll also be able to see the similarities and differences between them more easily.

3. Use technology. There are many great resources for linguists online, from dictionaries and databases to forums and blogs. Make use of these resources to help you in your studies.

4. Stay up-to-date. Linguistics is an ever-changing field, with new discoveries being made all the time. Keep up with the latest news and research to ensure that you’re always on the cutting edge of linguistic knowledge.

5. Get involved in your community. There are often opportunities to volunteer with organizations that work with different languages or dialects. This is a great way to get real-world experience working with language while also helping others.

Related: Linguist Resume Example

Related: Linguist Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

Editorial staff

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Editor

Brenna Goyette

Expert Verified

Brenna is a certified professional resume writer, career expert, and the content manager of the ResumeCat team. She has a background in corporate recruiting and human resources and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. Brenna has experience in recruiting for tech, finance, and marketing roles and has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. She creates expert resources to help job seekers write the best resumes and cover letters, land the job, and succeed in the workplace.

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