‘Linguistics’, the scientific study of language, is still an unfamiliar topic to most of the people of our country.
In the fast-forward countries, this subject has been in the center of attention from the beginning, though in Bangladesh this subject couldn’t grab any attention of the scholars in the past. However, the scenario has changed; scholars and researchers have gotten interested in the field recently, and eventually this subject is flourishing now. The reason behind people’s lack of interest in this field earlier says a lot about the career field.
People didn’t want to specialize on this subject as there was not much scope in the industry for linguistics majors in our country. But with time, the need for the study is surging and young generations are getting involved with it, though there are some doubts still haunting people before choosing a career in linguistics. To clear out the air, some career paths for linguists in Bangladesh are given below:
- Academia
Most of the linguistics majors choose their career in academia. In this career path, linguistics graduates are currently working as lecturers and professors, teaching linguistics courses at the college and university levels.
However, one needs to keep in mind that the higher positions require advanced degrees like a master’s or a Ph.D. So candidates need to dedicate themselves significantly if they want to pursue this career.
- Speech therapist
Some of the universities offer a course named ‘Clinical Linguistics’, which is one of the various sectors of linguistics. Students get to know about significant language disorders and how to assess and treat them through the course. Along with getting theoretical classes, they get practical classes. Through the course, they get prepared for pursuing the career of speech therapist. Sometimes certification and license are required to practice. So if you are thinking about pursuing this career, secure some experience and a license without delaying.
- Computational linguist
A few years ago, people couldn’t think of working in the computer science field with a linguistics degree. However, a linguistics major is now working in the technological field with an aim to develop tools and systems that process and analyze not only spoken but also written language. It goes without saying that computational linguists are in great demand now and earning a handsome amount of money as well.
- Forensic linguist
Forensic linguists use their linguistics knowledge in analyzing language evidence in civil or criminal cases, which is definitely an intriguing career opportunity for linguistics majors. Though this career is still very rare in our country, it will expand in the next few years.
- Copywriter
The copywriting job has already widened throughout the country. Copywriters create productive and engaging content, especially for different brands and products to promote them. This job is quite flexible, as many foreign companies hire copywriters based on their qualifications and let them work remotely, offering a high salary at the same time.
- Publishing
Linguistics majors who have a passion for language, literature, and communication often pursue this career that involves editing, writing, and managing the production of written content. To consider publishing as a career, you might need to learn some design tools so that you develop skills for creating feature images for digital publishing.
- Translator/Interpreter
If you master a second or multiple languages, being a translator or interpreter would be a great-suited career for you. Foreign companies that work based on cross-cultural communication greatly need a good interpreter or translator to conduct the communication. This job is also very flexible as it can be done remotely.
- Lexicographer
Lexicographers refer to those who compile important language documents, like dictionaries. Linguistics offers a course called lexicography, which makes the students able to pursue this career. Lexicographers play a pivotal role in documenting languages and make quite a lot of money in their career.
- Researcher
The number of researchers is escalating over time as the majority of the linguistics graduates are getting indulged in research works according to their interests. Linguistics is an expansive field with numerous scopes, which leads researchers to conduct their research in multiple sectors.
Thousands of sectors, including all the above-mentioned areas, seek researchers for the analysis, exploration, and development in their fields.
This is not the end. Linguistics majors are applying their theoretical knowledge to address real-world challenges and creating scopes for their own constantly.
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Writer,
Kazi Mirana Mainuddin
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE