When writing my last post (Code Switching) I used the word "linguists", intending it to have the meaning "a specialist in linguistics" but it occurred to me that from the context it could mean "someone who speaks a lot of languages".
As both meanings are used I wondered how others might deal with disambiguating them in use where the meaning isn't actually obvious from context.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
It was clear to me in your other post from the first sentence: "Code switching is a term linguists use"... code switching is something that specialists in linguistics study.
But I never interpret "linguist" to mean "someone who speaks a lot of languages". This is probably because I study linguistics.
I tend to use polyglot for the speaks many languages meaning instead of linguist. Some linguist suggested the term linguistician for the person who does linguistics, but it never caught on.
Originally posted by goofy: It was clear to me in your other post from the first sentence: "Code switching is a term linguists use"... code switching is something that specialists in linguistics study.
But I never interpret "linguist" to mean "someone who speaks a lot of languages". This is probably because I study linguistics.
Indeed, but a polyglot might equally call changing languages, "code switching", nicht wahr? So the first sentence could be ambiguous. You and I both know something about linguistics - you rather more than I - and that's likely to prejudice our understanding of the word. I think the general public probably think of a linguist as someone who speaks a lot of languages.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
Originally posted by BobHale: Indeed, but a polyglot might equally call changing languages, "code switching", nicht wahr?
But anyone, not just linguists and polyglots, could call changing languages "code switching". But in my experience the term is most often used by people who know something about linguistics, not just people who speak a lot of languages.
But I never interpret "linguist" to mean "someone who speaks a lot of languages". This is probably because I study linguistics.
No, I don't think it's just because you study linguistics. I, too, tend to think of "linguist" as one who knows about languages and "polyglot" as one who speaks a lot of languages. I don't think I am odd in that; I'd disagree with Bob that the general public probably thinks of linguists as people who speak a lot of languages.
A question I've asked here before, and haven't been completely satisfied with, is just what are the qualifications for being a "linguist?" Is interest or self study enough? If not, does it require a baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degree? I've always been confused about that and have decided that there aren't any clear qualifications that people agree on.
