About

Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages

The Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages houses the disciplines of Applied Linguistics, French, General Linguistics, Mandarin, Portuguese and Translation Studies.

Linguistics, the study of language, tries to answer questions such as what all languages have in common, how languages differ from one another, what kind of varieties occur within a single language, how written and spoken forms of language differ, how children acquire language, why languages change and whether differences among groups in society are reflected in their language.　

The Modern Languages - French, Mandarin, and Portuguese – are increasingly used to communicate internationally. In our Department, the offerings in these disciplines include language, cultural and literary studies.

We offer undergraduate majors in French, Mandarin, Linguistics, and Portuguese, Honours degrees, and Masters and Doctoral qualifications. Please click on the tab 'Qualifications' for more information.

Our research projects include, among others, spoken language corpora for African languages, sign language, interpreting corpus and multilingual health translation corpus, multilingual language learning, first and second-language acquisition, literacy research, literary studies, youth and colloquial languages.

The Department is proud to have Research Fellows from all over the world who collaborate with us on research projects and academic publications.

Vision

Towards a transformative and inclusive academic environment that centres African epistemology, promotes multilingualism, and leverages innovative technologies and Comprehensive Open Distance e-Learning (CODeL) system to advance linguistic, language and literature research and education.

Mission

Our mission is to:

Advance Linguistic and Language Research – Conduct cutting-edge research that explores the complexities of language, with a focus on African and Modern Languages, their preservation, advancement, and role in global discourses.
Decolonise the Curriculum – Develop and implement curricula that prioritize African knowledge systems, ensuring that our students gain a profound understanding and appreciation of their linguistic and literary heritage.
Foster Community Engagement – Build strong partnerships with local non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and communities, to share linguistic challenges and solutions, encourage cultural diversity, and support community development.
Leverage Technology – Utilise digital tools and innovative technologies to enhance linguistic, language and literature education, expand research capabilities, and make linguistic and language resources accessible to the student community and a broader audience.
Promote Indigenous Languages – Integrate indigenous languages into teaching and learning, and research, to reinforce cultural significance and practical applications in contemporary society.

Last modified: 2024/09/12