A Memoir of My College Life
‘Are you studying Linguistics? How many languages do you speak then?” This misconception which equates linguistics to language learning still prevails today. It is perhaps some consolation for me that people in recent years no longer confuse ‘linguistics’ with ‘logistics’.
JS4070, the programme code of CUHK Linguistics under the Joint University Programme Admission System, is where it all began. The 3-year adventure has brought me an unprecedented experience to view language from a scientific perspective. The most valuable skill I have acquired here is not to memorize Chomsky’s theories, but rather to make hypotheses and logical derivations through testing. This kind of skill is realized in all subfields of Linguistics, from syntax to neurolinguistics, from language acquisition to bilingualism.
‘Syntax, on the surface, is the study of rules and sentence constructions of a language. It possesses the function to help you develop logical, analytic skill which is badly needed in all disciplines,” said Professor Gu Yang, my syntax professor three years ago. Syntactic trees could not be immediately drawn without a thorough consideration of a sentence’s abstract representation; the process of drawing a tree has to be done step-by-step. Analysis requires careful consideration and thorough thinking before drawing the conclusion. Isn’t that exactly the fundamental principle for people who are working in the society?
It would be the most regretful decision of all if I did not take up the role to preside over the Student Society of Linguistics and Modern Languages in 2012. Although the term of office lasted for just a year, it has certainly broadened my horizons. It has showed us a glimpse of how a formal governing body should run by sticking strictly to the constitution. The most important message it has brought us was perhaps that serving your members is never a simple job, it is the spirit to serve that matters. The ceaseless support from all staff of the department also formed an indispensable part of our success.
The professors and staff members have never refused to offer help to the undergraduates upon request. Timely assistance ranging from writing recommendation letters to providing professional academic advice has always been provided.
My three-year journey to explore the science of language is coming to an end, but the mission of the department to nurture even more linguists will indubitably continue in the decades to come. That the department has hit the first decade marks a milestone of its development. May the department and its affiliates maintain this ardor in the field of linguistics and strive to become one of the most renowned forces of the world in this discipline in the next decade.