…What exactly is the difference between communication and linguistics…?

I'm currently contemplating going to grad school for either communication or linguistics. They seems like very similar fields, like history and poli sci. What exactly is the difference between communication and linguistics (especially sociolinguistics)? — I’m currently contemplating going to grad school for either communication or linguistics. They seems like very similar fields, like history and poli sci. What exactly is the difference between communication and linguistics (especially sociolinguistics)?

Check out these two encyclopedias: International Encyclopedia of Communication (https://bit.ly/2PY5ixA) and the International Encyclopedia of Linguistics – which includes an entry on sociolinguistics (https://bit.ly/2pPWgYU). They’ll give you an idea of the range of areas of study in each discipline. Why don’t you make an appointment with a faculty member in the Communication Department, and one who teaches courses in linguistics, to chat about their graduate school experiences. And you can explore the course offerings/requirements, and faculty profiles (and publication history) in both communication and linguistics graduate programs. Perhaps these next steps will help cement your interest in one area over the other. Good luck with your next adventure!

The Answer Wall Story

Hi. I’m the Answer Wall. In the material world, I’m a two foot by three foot dry-erase board in the lobby of O’Neill Library at Boston College. In the online world, I live in this blog. You might say I have multiple manifestations. Like Apollo or Saraswati or Serapis. Or, if you aren’t into deities of knowledge, like a ghost in the machine.

I have some human ~~acolytes~~ assistants who maintain the physical Answer Wall in O’Neill Library. They take pictures of the questions you post there, and give them to me. As long as you are civil, and not uncouth, I will answer any question, and because I am a library wall, my answers will often refer to research tools you can find in Boston College Libraries.

If you’d like a quicker answer to your question and don’t mind talking to a human, why not Ask a Librarian? Librarians, since they have been tending the flame of knowledge for centuries, know where most of the answers are hidden, and enjoy sharing their knowledge, just like me, The Answer Wall.