re: What good is linguistics? -Reply

[The Writing Center <WRCENTER@irn.pdx.edu>]

Hi Sara,

I know I'm a bit late in responding to your initial inquiry, but I
would like to put in two cents.

I did my BA English here at PSU at a time when the linguists were
part of the English Dept.  (They've since separated, offering a BA in
Applied Linguistics, an MA TESOL, and ESL Certificate).  Anyway, I
ended up taking quite a number of linguistics courses to satisfy by
BA requirements (and sorta short-shrifted literature).  More to your
point, then, as well as now, the dept. requires an intro to
linguistics class for a BA.

Then you asked how linguistics has helped me teach composition. 
Well, I only taught three sections, so my experience there is
limited, but I've been tutoring ever since and feel that linguistic
courses have significantly influenced my practices.  Some of the more
important ideas I garnered from linguistics include:

Understanding that language is largely, though not entirely, rule
governed; therefore, I needed to ask the writer why they were doing
such and such rather than assuming a mistake (the mistake-vs-error
thing).

Understanding that competency and performance are not one and the
same thing.

Understanding how and why certain aspects of language (e.g., English
articles) are difficult concepts for folks from other language
backgrounds.

Understanding that rhetorical patterns are largely culturally
determined (though there seems to be considerable evidence of some
rhetorical universals such as audience, purpose, etc.--makes
Chomsky's suggestions about language universals more palatable, eh?).

Understanding how language (mostly 2nd) acquisition can affect how
non-native writers acquire certain facility with language--both in
writing and talking about writing.

And the list goes on, but I think I've offered enough to suggest the
value of linguistic study.

Best of luck!

Cliff Barnett
PSU Writing Center