<p>Why (arguably) the top language school in the world doesn't have a linguistics major? It seems so nonsensical to me. Are they planning on establishing one anytime soon?</p>
<p>Good question.... maybe because they have specific languages as majors like French and Spanish and German.</p>
<p>linguistics is more of a professional science and since middlebury is a liberal arts college, it only focuses on the general concepts, like the language itself. thus, a big research university is more apt to host a linguistics major compared to a liberal arts college. i might, of course, be wrong though - this is my guess.</p>
<p>While I agree with Echoes, a quick search on Midds website lands you in all kinds of Linguistic related courses either via a specific language or as an interdisciplinary course. There also seems to be many options for linguistics study abroad. If what they say about majors, double majors and developing one's own major is true, than I am thinking one could probably make a very good run at creating an effective course of study. However, much like psychology, there are definitely limits to an undergraduate degree and one would most likely go on to advanced study at a graduate level... which is why if you majored in any language, or sociology, etc.. moving into graduate work in linguistics would seem a natural move.</p>
<p>And I did note they had previously been looking for an hispanic linguist for a tenured track position beginning in the fall of 09... but not sure what will happen to that now that there are to be freezes in hiring... not sure if that applies to job already listed.</p>
<p>It was possible to do a linguistics major up until a few years ago (2, I think), when the main professor for it passed away. I'm fairly sure there's still an intro to linguistics class offered once a year or so (but I haven't taken it). The Chinese department has an excellent linguist who offers a course on Chinese linguistics, but when I talked with her about possibly doing a linguistics major she recommended that I do that in graduate school if I really wanted and to focus on the liberal arts/language portion of things while at Midd. Also, I took a linguistics course my first semester abroad and am taking one now, in my second semester abroad (and in a different country). So you can pursue your interest in linguistics, you just can't do a major.</p>
<p>I know! I was so angry when I found out they didn't have a linguistics department. So I'm not even going to wait to find out whether or not I got into Middlebury - I'm putting down my deposit at McGill.</p>
<p>There are liberal arts colleges with Linguistics Departments. Two that come to mind are Swarthmore and Pomona (Dept of Linguistics and Cognitive Science). A Swarthmore Linguistics professor (described as the Indiana Jones of lost languages) was featured in the PBS documentary *The Linguists *that premiered last Thursday.</p>
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I know! I was so angry when I found out they didn't have a linguistics department. So I'm not even going to wait to find out whether or not I got into Middlebury - I'm putting down my deposit at McGill.
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<p>Isn't that the sort of thing you should research BEFORE you apply to a school?</p>
<p>Where have you been Cindy Ru. I see this is your third post. Are you for real?</p>
<p>So, concerning linguistics. I agree, considering our noted strength in languages (which I assure y'all is not hype, almost all language departments here are incredible), it is quite odd for there not to be a structured linguistics program. Please be assured that this wasn't intentionally neglected, and note that the faculty has been pushing for such a curriculum for a few years now. Thankfully, there are several members of the Midd faculty who specialize in linguistics and who are now lobbying for a minor in linguistics harder than ever. I currently have several friends taking linguistics courses (A Diversity of Human Language class and a Linguistics of the Romance Languages course). They all by the way complain that the courses are kicking their collective behinds (which is not unusual, it is Middlebury after all). So please be aware that by the time y'all matriculate into Midd, the beginnings of a linguistics program should be in place.</p>
<p>Just as side note from a College Freshman: It is really amusing reading through these message boards after a year-long hiatus. Once you're a college student, y'all will look back, recognize the agony associated with the process, and take a depth breath knowing that everything turned out for the best. Trust me. Good Luck with wherever your life takes you.</p>
<p>Do people in Plantation, Florida say "y'all"? Or is that something you picked up from the laconic Vermonters?</p>
<p>^ It's definitely not us.</p>
<p>Yes, there is movement afoot to establish a linguistics minor and then perhaps more. Middlebury has always had the language strength, but academic politics prevented linguistics specialists from being hired into the strong language depts. Not the case anymore, and there are many excellent young faculty who teach and are scholars in linguistics.</p>
<p>What is helping in this, too, is the College's affiliate, the Monterey Institute, which has a very strong linguistics program (translation and interpretation, as well as linguistics). The Institute will supplement the resources at Middlebury in the likely form of visiting facutly from Monterey and a possible semester for Middlebury students at Monterey to take several courses in linguistics. This is a great example of where the relationship with Monterey can work for students: the combination of incredibly strong language programs at Middlebury (and superb students who excel in these languages) with long-established linguistics programs at Monterey. It's about time.</p>