You are in the official 1997-98 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Linguistics
School of Arts and Humanities
Department of Linguistics
GEORGE W. RANEY, Chair
Peters Business Building, Room 383
(559) 278-2441
B.A. in Linguistics
Options:
English as a Second Language
Spanish-English Bilingualism
M.A. in Linguistics
Minor in Japanese
Minor in Linguistics
Faculty
George W. Raney, Chair
Undergraduate Advisors:
Barbara M. Birch,
Gerald R. McMenamin
Graduate Advisors: P. J. Mistry
Armando Baltra
Ellen Lipp
Chris Golston
Gerald R. McMenamin
Shigeko Okamoto
Vida Samiian
Raymond S. Weitzman
Jack B. Zeldis
The Department of Linguistics offers an undergraduate minor, a Bachelor
of Arts degree with options in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)
and Spanish-English Bilingualism, and a Master of Arts degree with options
in General Linguistics and ESL. In addition, Master of Arts degrees with
emphasis in French or German are available.
Linguistics is the study of human language -- its structure, its history,
and its function in human society. Linguists analyze the sound, word, and
sentence patterns in language; they write grammars and dictionaries; they
investigate the ways in which language changes across space and through
time; and they study what it means to know a language and its uses, how
languages are taught and acquired, and how an individual's language reflects
the operation of his or her mind and the values and expectations of the
society to which he or she belongs.
An undergraduate major in linguistics qualifies a student to teach ESL in
some foreign countries. It may also be used in conjunction with certain
credential programs for elementary and secondary teaching careers in this
country. Most students with undergraduate majors enter graduate programs
either at California State University, Fresno or another university. A master's
degree qualifies a student to teach in a community college or university
or in an adult school as well as institutions in most foreign countries.
A linguistics minor is a valuable supplement to a liberal studies major
or to majors in anthropology, communicative disorders, English, foreign
languages, philosophy, psychology, and other areas with a language component.
A Japanese Minor is also available for students with an interest in Japanese
language and culture and/or plans to pursue careers in various areas, such
as international business, marketing, economics, art and literature, etc.,
where a knowledge of the Japanese language and culture would be useful.
Facilities
The Department of Linguistics has equipment for the analysis of speech sounds and for displaying the operation of the organs of speech. Computers are used for simulating speech and for mapping the geographical extent of language features, as well as for storing the data needed for the making of grammars and dictionaries. The Linguistics Department provides practical classroom teaching experience for qualified ESL students through employment in the American English Institute, a facility established by the department and operated under the aegis of the Extended Education Office. A description of the American English Institute is included in the Special Programs section of this catalog. The department's goal is to balance theory and practical application. Our graduates are acquainted with general linguistics and are prepared to begin work as teachers or consultants and to continue advanced studies.
Career Opportunities
Most linguistics graduates become teachers. There is a constant and increasing
worldwide demand for teachers of ESL and for consultants and resource teachers
in elementary and secondary schools, as well as for authors and editors
of ESL instructional material. Linguists also work as teachers of other
languages, as translators, as consultants to government and business, as
bibliographers, as speech clinicians, and as specialists in any area where
the ability to analyze human language is required.
