Department of Linguistics
What Linguistics Is and What Linguists Do...
Linguistics is the scientific study of language. We seek to understand the structure of language, how it is learned, how it changes over time, how it interacts with the world, how it is represented in the mind, and how humans produce and understand language.
Our work informs a wide variety of human concerns: education (foreign-language teaching, the way to approach standard and non-standard languages in the classroom), technology (speech recognition, artificial intelligence), health care (diagnosis and treatment of language disorders), language's place in a diverse society (the role of multilingualism, protections for endangered and minority dialects and languages), and the legal system (interpreting legal language and the significance of linguistic evidence).
Humanities Radio
For more information, we encourage you to listen to Episode 2 of the Humanities podcast, where Aaron Kaplan, Assistant Professor of Linguistics, answers all of these questions.
Mission Statement
The Department of Linguistics at the University of Utah is committed to advancing the understanding of human language in the service of local, national, and global communities.
We accomplish this by:
- conducting cutting-edge research on language structure, acquisition, and processing
- preparing students to achieve personal and professional goals equipped with the knowledge and skills developed through the study of linguistics.
Our Specializations and Interests
In the Department of Linguistics at the University of Utah, our faculty specialize in:
- theoretical syntax and semantics
- theoretical phonology
- second language acquisition
- second language phonology
Our faculty also have interests in historical linguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. We offer undergraduate, MA, and PhD degrees, as well as a computational linguistics certificate and a TESOL certificate.
About the Department
Linguistics provides the intellectual satisfaction of learning how human language works, while at the same time developing the analytical skills necessary to be highly competitive on the job market. Students in linguistics learn how to analyze languages and develop crucial skills for today’s job market: reasoning, critical thinking, rigorous analysis, and written and verbal communication.
Graduates of our program have been admitted to some of the top graduate programs in linguistics and other fields and found careers in ESL instruction, language analysis, and computational linguistics.
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News
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Dr. Aniello De Santo Promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure
The Department of Linguistics congratulates Dr. Aniello De Santo on his recent promotion to Associate Professor with tenure! Aniello, who joined the department in 2020, is a computational psycholinguist, also interested in mathematical approaches to linguistic theory (mostly dealing with issues in theoretical syntax and phonology). His research lies at the intersection between computational, theoretical, and experimental linguistics. To learn more about Dr. De Santo’s research, you can visit his faculty profile.
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Olalekan Adebayo to Present Research at ACAL 57
PhD student, Olalekan Adebayo, will present his research at the 57th Annual Conference on African Linguistics (ACAL 57) hosted at the University of Buffalo from May 21–23, 2026. His talk is titled, Hiatus Resolution in Ì̩yı̩́nnó̩: DEEs and Edge Protected Vowels
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From the Classroom: Xander Moore
In the spring semester, Xander Moore enrolled in LING 4981, Special Topics: Peace Linguistics. In this course, students study the different dimensions of peace: inner, interpersonal, intergroup, intercultural, and ecological. Regarding international peace, they explore how language is used in both low-stakes and high-stakes contexts to de-escalate conflicts. In a recent module, students examined how language can be employed in diplomacy when countries face high tension due to circumstances beyond their control. Through discussions, case studies, and practical exercises, Xander gained a deeper understanding of the power of language to promote understanding, reconciliation, and lasting peace.
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From the Classroom: Ben Perry
This semester, Ben Perry enrolled in LING 4981, Special Topics: Peace Linguistics. In this course, students discuss how language can be used to de-escalate conflict. In a recent class session, we had Utah attorney and mediator Michael Thornock visit to share his experiences, including practical steps for finding common ground and understanding different perspectives.
Stay In Touch With Us
Stay up to date with all of our announcements, events, and more by following us on our Linguistics Department social medias below.
