The advantages of learning Applied Linguistics

“Applied Linguistic (AL) is typically concerned with achieving an end, with improving existing language related-operations, and with solving language related-problem”. (Grade & Kaphan, 1992, p.17). It is one of the most necessary courses for students who wish to be an effective Second Language Teacher because the course aims both to identify issues in linguistics and to solve its problem. In semester two, there are a lot of significant courses in the book such as meanings of language, pragmatics in discourse analysis and describing individual and society bilingualism. Among them, there are a few useful lessons, the meanings of language and pragmatics discourse analysis which I would like to share to all the next generation.

Learning the meanings of language is very useful for me as a future-second language lecturer. The book in-depth explains how morpheme, word, phrase and sentence produce meanings in the language. It enables me to get the correct meanings in a sentence based on its morphemes, words and structure. In addition, it helps me not to confuse or misunderstand the meanings of the words regarding to “–nyms” words relation. To illustrate, tale and tail are different words but it is pronounced identically and if I didn’t learn it in advanced I would infer the meaning in wrong way.

Knowing the pragmatics, how the linguistic knowledge and situational context influent the interpretation of the meaning in discourse, is really helpful for me. Because the interpretation of the meaning of the words differs from one situation to another, it is a good chance for me to know how to interpret the meaning base on the context provided. In addition, the study of maxims of conversation is really beneficial. It gives me an ideal thought of how to produce good or smooth conversation depending on four maxims of the conversation, the maxim of quantity, the maxim of relevant, the maxim of manner and the maxim of quality. All of these maxims are helpful for the speakers to make the conversation go smoothly.

However, I have encounters a few challenges in learning AL. The initial difficulty is about the concept of the course. Most of the concepts in AL require readers to have broad knowledge or comprehension skill to understand it. Thematic roles, for instance, is quite
tough for me to get the actual meaning. I can’t simplify its definition in an easy way to understand even though I have read the books for several times. I still blur how it applies in real world. Furthermore, there are so many difficult terms in this book which requires me to check in advanced otherwise I will not able to understand the lesson or I will not be able to follow the lecturer’s explanation. Finally, it is about the presentation assigned by the lecturer. We are asked to read the journal or research papers for our presentation. It is quite hard for us because we are not familiar with research paper or journal. Also, the length of the paper is quite long (consists of 40 to 60 pages). How can we find the main point to present in class if we are not thoroughly understood that research papers.

In order to deal with those problems occurring in learning AL, I have a few suggestions to deal with the problems. I would like to suggest to editors of AL 401 and 402 AL to produce the book which is not so beyond their understanding or knowledge otherwise they will not be able to follow or learn from the teachers. Besides, I would recommend the next generation students to read book before class and if possible they should manage time to read other materials related to Applied Linguistic in advanced in order that they will have some ideas to share, discuss and ask the doubtful parts to the lecturer. Finally, it is a good idea if they can possess AL dictionary, since it will help them a lot to easily understand the lesson.

Learning AL provides inexpensive knowledge for us as the second language teachers for better-teaching career in the future. The course enables them to find out the problem in linguistics as well as the solution to deal with it. As a result, we will be able to find an ideal methods and techniques to teach the students in more effective and efficient means if we can absorb the knowledge from AL course.

By HIM Sokunthea
IFL graduate