General Linguistics

The study of general linguistics opens for students the way for understanding language as a general and fundamental human tool, and naturally also for easier understanding particular languages, both in the sense of the description of inner structures and the function of language in the social context or its development. It is connected with the acquisition and cultivation of necessary analytical skills in the form of the given methodologies.

The students are acquainted with three methodologies: structural-functional, generative and formal linguistics. Their principles are explicated, the advantages of their use exemplified. At the same time the students are introduced into the fundamental principles of experimental research and its subsequent statistical evaluation (in this way linguistics follows the general direction of bringing humanities nearer to natural sciences). Attention is paid to all linguistic planes: phonetics and phonology, morphonology and morphology, syntax, semantics; special attention is also given to algebraic linguistics and statistics. In addition, the students gain knowledge about etymology and the history of linguistic methodology, and they also learn one or more languages depending on the type of their study.

The program is well suited for those interested in language in general: for those who have already inquired into linguistics or a concrete philology (special possibilities opens up particularly in combination with a concrete philology), as well as for those who are interested in studying language a tool for understanding the world (including those interested in mathematics and cybernetics).

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• master the fundamental analytical methods of structural-functional, generative and formal linguistics
• work out independently a description and analysis of language material using an appropriate method
• propose an experiment, process it and subsequently evaluate it in a formal model
• master one or two
• be familiar with language families of the world in general and Europe in special

The graduates are prepared, provided they do not continue in another study, to capitalize on the acquired knowledge in practical work with language or languages (be it teaching, interpreting, translating, editorial proofreading work, journalism or others) and particularly in the fields needing good expression skills in the mother language or a foreign language and analytical thinking, and in general in any field requiring not only the use of language, but also the understanding of its structure.

There is no required practical training.

The bachelor’s exam of the single-subject and extended double-subject study includes the defense of the bachelor’s thesis whose topic is selected by the students after the consultation with the supervisor. By writing it they demonstrate their knowledge and skills acquired in the course of the study. Guidelines for writing the thesis follow the study regulations.

The graduate of the bachelor’s general linguistics study program can enroll in the follow-up master’s degree study.