I'm Taking Linguistics!

I only got 3 wrong on my Linguistics test, which is REALLY good! If you miss under 10, they highly recommend that you take it, and under 5 is a definite recommendation. So, as of today, I'm signed up for the course! Of course, God could always close this door if He has something else, but it seems that He is leading in this direction. It's super cool!

So what does this mean?
Instead of only being at MTC for 3 semesters, I will be here for 4 and 1/2 semesters. The first semester of the linguistics course, I will be here on the MTC campus studying. Then, for the 1/2 semester, I will be in Oklahoma doing a practicum with the Cherokee people. We'll put everything we learned in Linguistics to use there.

What do linguists do on the field?
Being a linguist means that you are better equipped on the mission field to analyze the grammatical structure of the target language. Linguists typically are the ones to develop an alphabet for unwritten languages and set up the literacy program in the tribe (i.e. teaching people to read their own language). Since they have extensively studied the grammar and language, linguists are also often (though not always) the ones who translate the Bible after there are believers in the tribe.

What kinds of classes will I take?
Here are the classes I will be taking as a part of this course:

• Phonology (108 hrs.) presents an in-depth look at the decision-making process used in determining what the alphabet should be for an unwritten language. The candidate will learn to distinguish significant sounds from insignificant sounds and write up a description of one
• Morphology (57 hrs.) gives a detailed look into the way that words are constructed. The course will use a variety of languages to present examples of morphemes and their alternate forms. The candidate will learn to correlate language forms with meanings and to organize an explanation of the language in an orderly and understandable way.
• Syntax (103 hrs.) looks at the many ways languages can form multiword constructions. Phrases, clauses, and sentences are all studied as preparation for the study of an unwritten language.
• Applied Linguistics (51 hrs.) gives the candidate an opportunity to deal with a large set of language data in order to determine its inherent phonological and grammatical structures. The candidate will prepare a paper explaining their insight into the language
• Advanced Linguistics Issues (45 hrs.) combines an introduction to discourse analysis with a look at some less common phonological situations.
• The Practicum (325 hrs.) gives the candidate the opportunity to put into practice the skills and abilities developed during the previous courses. Language data will be gathered from native Cherokee speakers and analyzed. The candidate will summarize the findings regarding phonological and grammatical structure and compile them in a paper.

I would really appreciate your prayers as I am trusting God with this next step of my life. I am also currently in the process of researching mission fields to see where God may have me serve overseas. I'm super excited, but it's also a lot to think about. I would definitely appreciate prayers!