Welcome to the website of the Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, the sixth and newest Division of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

As one of the best-known examples of a modern, vibrant and successful multilingual society, Singapore is uniquely positioned to promote academic studies of language and multilingualism. As no other tertiary institution in Singapore offers such an undergraduate programme, the Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies (LMS) at NTU is well placed to take on this challenge.

The study of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies allows students to explore the many interesting facets of language, from the properties of speech sounds to word and sentence structure, from children's language development to communication in bilingual and multilingual societies. It encompasses a very wide range of topics: how a finite inventory of basic linguistic units is deployed to express an infinite variety of meanings, how sentences are processed and decoded, how the bilingual and multilingual mind is structured, and how technology impacts upon people's everyday use of language, to mention just a few.

What is Linguistics?

Linguistics is the systematic study of language. Since language is generally regarded as the defining trait of human beings, Linguistics occupies a central position in the humanities. At the same time, Linguistics aims at achieving a detailed understanding of the complex neurological and psychological processes whereby speech and writing are produced and understood, as well as the sociological and cultural underpinnings that inform linguistic communication. It thus also shares considerable common ground with the social sciences, including psychology, anthropology, and sociology.

As the name "Linguistics and Multilingual Studies" suggests, the proposed programme is designed with a focus on the study of the languages of multilingual individuals and of multilingual societies. This, we believe, would make it particularly relevant to Singapore and the region, which is characterised by the widespread practice of bilingualism and multilingualism. In addition to English, this programme will also focus on the study of language issues in countries that are of special relevance to Singapore such as China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, amongst others.

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Coming Events

Seminar: "Using Syntax to Assign Meaning to Wikipedia" by Dan Flickinger (8 Jan)