Top 50+ Linguistics Research Topics For Your Paper

linguistics research topics

Are you a student or a graduate of linguistics? If yes, there is no doubting the fact that research topics in linguistics are your bread and butter. You can escape them in school. Write within the confines of the topics in linguistics and get your grade without stress. However, linguistics is a wide field and it can be hard to pick one of the many linguistic topics for your research. Sometimes, the problem is not in picking a topic. The problem is that despite the wide scope of linguistics, you don’t know how to form linguistics research topics.

We noticed these problems with students and decided to help. Our solution is to compile a list of 50 linguistic research topics for linguistics students. These topics could form the basis of your linguistics research paper topics. You don’t have to worry anymore about topics for master thesis in linguistics. We have you covered for all English linguistics research topics. Let’s dive in!

Check Our 50 Linguistics Research Topics

There are linguistics research topics in abundance. If you search online, you would find more than a few examples. However, you need to know the aspect of linguistics you want to use for your linguistics paper topics. It would make no sense to have a list of thesis topics in applied linguistics and want to write on topics in cognitive linguistics. While they are all under the broad body of linguistics, they are quite different from each other.

So, the first step in finding the perfect linguistics essay topics is to choose the aspect of linguistics you want. After you have made a choice you can now look into linguistics topics in that aspect. We have made finding interesting linguistics topics in any aspect you chose easier by grouping our 50 linguistics research topics. All you have to do is search under the aspect of your choice.

Interesting Linguistics Research Topics

If you don’t only want to write a research paper but you want to find every minute of it intriguing, these interesting topics in linguistics are the ones for you.

  1. What makes written communication more precise compared to spoken communication?
  2. How to spot language disorders and deal with them
  3. What contributes to the prevalent language shift and death in our society today?
  4. The language of feminism: How formalized is it and how does it affect society?
  5. Why is it impossible to claim to know a language entirely?
  6. What salient factors cause ambiguity in language translation?
  7. An in-depth analysis of feminism in Africa
  8. Language vs Society: Which one influences the other? How does it affect the members?
  9. How effective are subject teaching and language support?
  10. What factors affect language choice in multilingual societies? (Study of selected communities)
  11. The real functions of language

Linguistics Topics on Translation

If you want the latest research topics in applied linguistics, the topics under the following subheadings would help you. You just have to look for the aspect that you have an interest in and look at linguistics in that light.

  1. How has technology affected translation at this age and time?
  2. Is translation the cause of misunderstandings between speakers of different languages?
  3. How effective is an audiovisual translation in revolutionizing the translation industry?
  4. Does literal translation do more harm than good?
  5. How has the translator training and pedagogy faired in the production of efficient translators?
  6. How does translation relate to popular culture?

Translation is essential in this century with people of different languages communicating and coming together in a global economy. These topics look into the issues that translation encounter at this time.

Linguistics Topics on Politics

Politics is an ever-present phenomenon in any society. These dissertation topics in linguistics examine the issues surrounding language in the field of politics. We have explained samples of Ph.D. thesis topics in linguistics in this field.

  1. The reality of hate speech in selected communities
  2. The use of persuasive language strategies and tools in political speech
  3. How colonial rule affected African politics and language
  4. Why do politicians use indigenous languages to address communities?
  5. A critical analysis of the changing political communication landscape
  6. Effective political communication: A case study of selected politicians
  7. How tag lines and buzz words are used to enhance political speeches

Sociolinguistics Research Topics

This aspect of linguistics examines how issues surrounding how language works in society. These research topics for English linguistics focus on how people in society use language and its effects on society.

  1. What are the social factors that necessitate language varieties?
  2. How does language affect identity?
  3. An in-depth analysis of language attrition common to most English speakers
  4. A critical evaluation of the difference in attitudes towards language in different societies
  5. The differences in language functions in selected communities
  6. How ethnicity affect language and vice versa

Argumentative Linguistics Research Topics

These topics in linguistics for research papers argue on issues surrounding language. You can use these topics if you want to show different sides of an argument in your research.

  1. Is language the best way to communicate?
  2. Can we say that language is merely a system of symbols
  3. Do language disorders cause difficulties in the study of language?
  4. Does brain injury lead to issues in language capacities?
  5. Do mother tongue inflection and accent impact efficient communication?
  6. Is it advisable to learn more than one language?

Linguistics Research Topics on History

Language was not a concept that started a few years ago. People have been communicating for centuries and centuries. These topics look at the history of language, sometimes about this age.

  1. How Greek philosophy contributes to language
  2. What are the early speculations scientists had about the origin of language?
  3. Analysis of the history of language as explained in mythology
  4. How do the 3,000 preserved cuneiform writings affect language?
  5. A critical evaluation of different theories on the origin and development of language
  6. Why has the question of language origin remained unanswerable?

Linguistics Research Topics on Semantics

Language is nothing without meaning. These interesting linguistic topics show how meaning and language mix and relate. You can research any one of these topics to understand how this field.

  1. How does meaning affect language analysis and interpretation?
  2. What is the major cause of language ambiguity?
  3. How do sentences relate to one another?
  4. How do speakers of different languages acquire a sense of meaning in conversation?
  5. How can the meaning of words relate?
  6. An in-depth analysis into how language is used and acquired in different communities

Tough Linguistics Research Topics

Do all the topics above seem too easy for you? Do you want something more challenging? We have a few topics for you. These topics would give you that challenge you want. Ensure that you do enough research on topics before you embark on them.

  1. Why do people speak different languages?
  2. What makes language translation possible?
  3. What makes some languages harder to learn than others?
  4. Why are English and French words similar?
  5. Why does the mother tongue always affect pronunciation?
  6. Does sign language only involve the hands?

How to Choose A Perfect Linguistics Topic for You

There are different aspects of linguistics. If you check online, you would find linguistic anthropology research topics, computational linguistics research topics, and much more. However, not all these aspects of linguistics would be perfect for your dissertation or thesis.

In selecting or creating the perfect linguistic topic for you, here are some of the tips from our experts in paper writing you should take into consideration.

  • Pick an aspect that interest you. Linguistics apply to different walks of life. Therefore, there are varied topics for your linguistics research. It can make choosing a topic quite stressful. What you do is find what interests you and find topics in that aspect. Start by looking for a broad aspect then narrow it down to a part of the field. For instance, you can start with applied linguistics and move on to linguistics in politics.
  • Brainstorm with friends. After you have chosen the aspect you like, you can pick a list of topics in linguistics for research papers and bounce off ideas from the topics with your friends. You can even write out your ideas from your brainstorming and ask your friends what they think about them. The topic that you notice that you and your friends keep going back to is possibly the best one for you. If you find a lot of things to talk about it, you would possibly find a lot of things to write about it.
  • Research the topics. Talk is cheap though. If you want to write on a topic, ensure that there are enough materials to support your claims. After you and your friends decide on a topic, research the topic before you start writing. Once you find that there are enough materials, you can start.

Linguistics has different aspects. If you check online and on our list, you would find different topics in these aspects, including topics related to linguistic diversity. Follow our guide and list to find the best linguistic topic for you!