english linguistics personal statement

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Linguistics (and english language) personal statement.

Unlike most people who are indifferent towards language, I am fascinated by it. Though still uncertain of what exactly it is, a tool, an instinct, or phenomenon, I recognise its power to persuade, manipulate, disgust, bewilder, excite, and create observable change in people and the world around them.

My passion for language gradually developed after I started writing poetry and discovered the power of owning a poetic license. I had the power to create words, twist sentence structures and ignore the rules which I had been ingrained with from birth. My most recent piece of writing, titled 'Liana', revolves around the themes of what it means to be human, femininity, sexuality and sex vs. gender. What I love the most about writing is how limitless it is; I am free to put anything down on my paper. My play has now won first place in a creative writing competition, been published in a local Shanghai magazine, and is currently being made into a drama production at my school. I am assisting with the directing process in the drama production, and it is an incomparable feeling to have others interpreting and reading something that you have created. Although it is my text and I had my own intention for the overall message of the text, it is incredible to see how others can create their own, perfectly justifiable meaning for it.

My insightful nature lead me to see through the generally accepted belief that subjects are separate and intended to be studied in isolation from one another. When joining the IBDP program, I carefully selected subjects that interested me and would cultivate my passion for Linguistics. I have been able to study the relationship and connections between Linguistics and Psychology, Philosophy, Computer Science, Theory of Knowledge and even Mathematics. Reading Nietzsche's On The Genealogy of Morals and finding that he used etymology to trace the origin of morality showed me just how much information we can gather from diachronic linguistics. After first moving to China and not being fluent in Mandarin, I was heavily reliant on translation software. Despite the shortcomings of machine translation, the lack of direct translations for words and lack of succinctness, it still facilitates basic communication. But when communicating through these applications, I could still feel the disconnect between myself and the other party. Shortly after, I began independently learning Mandarin. Learning a language so different from English has allowed me to compare and contrast the two, and take a critical look at the nature of languages and how we use them. I started to immerse myself in linguistics through online linguistics courses offered by Leiden University, through reading of Steven Pinker, Chomsky and Clark, and conducting my own interdisciplinary investigations.

Thus far, I've done my IB extended essay on word prediction within computational linguistics, looking at the capabilities of modern computers and their ineptness for language has lead me to further consolidate my understanding of how exceptional and unpredictable language can be. In mathematics I've tested Zipf's Law within some of my favourite books, and discovered the objectivity within that which I thought was wholly subjective. My favorite investigation was on the effect of language on recall in psychology. I conducted my own experiment that involved leading questions and how memory can be reconstructed based on the language we use. Outside of my studies, I volunteer at an international hospital where I assist with translating between English and Mandarin for patients, take care of young children and tell stories to senior citizens. I am a tenacious, inquisitive and creative student and am confident that I have the capacity and determination to be successful at university

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I was quite happy with the outcome of this personal statement. I wrote it a few days before the deadline, but it still turned out quite strong.

Offers: University of Cambridge UCL University of Edinburgh University of Sheffield Warwick

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Linguistics Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential For Linguists
• 5 Similar Courses in UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

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Ever wondered about the complexities of human language, its structure, evolution, and impact on society? Intrigued by how we communicate, interpret, and understand linguistic signals?

If so, a degree in Linguistics might be the perfect pathway for you. This fascinating field invites you to delve into the scientific study of language, exploring the nuances of syntax, phonetics, semantics, and more.

The linguistics course covers a wide range of topics, including the history of language, the structure of language, language acquisition, and the application of linguistics in various fields. You will learn about the different aspects of language, such as phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. You will also explore the various theories of language and how they are used to analyze and interpret language data.

By studying linguistics, students gain an understanding of the structure, history, and development of language. They learn to analyze language from a variety of perspectives, including its social, cultural, and historical contexts. In addition, students gain an appreciation for the complexity of language and its role in communication.

Through the study of linguistics, students can gain a better understanding of how language is used to express ideas, feelings, and beliefs. Furthermore, students can develop their own language skills and become more proficient in communicating with others. Ultimately, studying linguistics provides students with a valuable tool for understanding the world around them and communicating effectively.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

Someone with a degree in linguistics can pursue a variety of careers and professions. These include:

1. Language Teacher: Language teachers can teach in a variety of settings, including primary and secondary schools, universities, language schools, and private tutoring.

2. Interpreter/Translator: Interpreters and translators work with both written and spoken language to help facilitate communication between two languages. They can work in a variety of settings, including government agencies, hospitals, and private companies.

3. Speech-Language Pathologist: Speech-language pathologists work with individuals who have speech and language disorders, such as stuttering and difficulty understanding and producing language. They can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, and private practice.

4. Lexicographer: Lexicographers work to create, maintain, and update dictionaries and other reference works. They can work in a variety of settings, including publishing companies, libraries, and universities.

5. Computational Linguist: Computational linguists use computer science and linguistics to develop and improve language-based technology, such as natural language processing and machine translation. They can work in a variety of settings, including software companies, research labs, and universities.

6. Language Researcher: Language researchers use linguistics to study language and language use. They can work in a variety of settings, including universities, research labs, and government agencies.

UK Admission Requirements

To be accepted into the University of Kent’s Linguistics course, applicants must have a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as English Language, Linguistics, or a related subject. Preference may be given to applicants who have achieved a higher grade.

In addition to a degree, applicants must also demonstrate a good level of English proficiency. This is usually assessed through a recognised English language test such as the IELTS or TOEFL.

Other entry criteria may include a personal statement, references, and/or an interview.

The entry criteria for the University of Kent’s Linguistics course is similar to many other universities who offer linguistics courses. Most universities will require a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, as well as a good level of English proficiency. Some universities may also require a personal statement, references, and/or an interview.

UK Earnings Potential For Linguists

The average earnings for someone with a degree in linguistics will vary depending on the individual’s experience, qualifications, and the job market. Generally, linguists with a bachelor’s degree can expect to make between $30,000 and $60,000 per year. Those with a master’s degree may earn up to $80,000 per year.

In terms of job market trends, the demand for linguists is increasing as the world becomes more interconnected and the need for translation services increases. Additionally, linguists are in demand in the fields of technology, artificial intelligence, and data science, as well as in the fields of education, marketing, and healthcare.

Similar Courses in UK

Other university courses related to linguistics include English Language and Literature, Applied Linguistics, and Language and Communication.

English Language and Literature focuses on the analysis of language and literature, while Applied Linguistics examines the use of language in various contexts, such as education, business, and media. Language and Communication explores the use of language in communication, such as how language is used to convey meaning and how language can be used to influence others.

Linguistics is a broader field that encompasses all of these areas, as it looks at the structure and use of language in a variety of contexts. It focuses on the study of language in its various forms, such as syntax, morphology, phonology, and semantics. It also looks at how language is used in different contexts and how it is acquired, developed, and maintained.

In comparison to the other courses, Linguistics is more comprehensive and looks at language from a broader perspective. It examines language from a scientific and theoretical perspective, rather than just a practical one. Additionally, it looks at language from a historical and cultural perspective, which is not necessarily the focus of the other courses.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules typically covered in a university course in linguistics include:

• Introduction to linguistics: This module introduces students to the fundamental concepts of linguistics, such as the structure of language, the history of language, and the different types of languages.
• Phonetics and Phonology: This module focuses on the study of the sounds of language, including the production and perception of speech sounds, the structure of sound systems, and the phonological rules of language.
• Morphology and Syntax: This module focuses on the study of the structure of words and sentences, including the formation of words, the structure of sentences, and the rules of grammar.
• Semantics and Pragmatics: This module focuses on the study of the meaning of language, including the meaning of words, the meaning of sentences, and the use of language in context.
• Language Acquisition: This module focuses on the study of how children learn language, including the stages of language development, the role of the environment, and the influence of language on thought.
• Sociolinguistics: This module focuses on the study of language in social context, including language variation and change, language and identity, and language and power.
• Applied Linguistics: This module focuses on the application of linguistic knowledge to real-world problems, such as language teaching, language assessment, and language policy.

Alumni Network

Notable alumni from the course of linguistics include Noam Chomsky, a renowned linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, and political activist. Chomsky is known for his pioneering work in the field of linguistics, specifically for his theories of generative grammar.

He has written numerous books, articles, and essays on language and linguistics, and is considered one of the most influential linguists of the 20th century. Chomsky is currently a Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Other notable alumni from the course of linguistics include Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist, linguist, and popular science author. Pinker has written several books on language and linguistics, including The Language Instinct, Words and Rules, and The Stuff of Thought.

He is currently a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University.Alumni events and networking opportunities for linguistics students are offered by many universities. For example, the University of California, Berkeley offers an annual alumni event for linguistics students, which includes a panel discussion, alumni networking, and a Q&A session.

In addition, many universities offer alumni networking opportunities through online platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook. These platforms allow alumni to connect with each other and share job opportunities, research opportunities, and other resources.

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Applying for Linguistics at University in 2024: Reading, Personal Statement and Interview Tips From an Oxford Linguistics Graduate

This article is written by U2 Spanish and Linguistics mentor, Rhys. Rhys graduated with a First in Linguistics and Spanish from St. Catherine’s College, Oxford in 2012. He has a particular interest in both Old Norse and modern Icelandic, as well as on how languages in general change over time - and was the winner of the Fred Holcroft Prize for study of the history of Spanish as a language. This article provides a comprehensive guide to Linguistics at Oxbridge, how to prepare and what to expect at interview (+ the resources suggested will be useful for personal statement preparation for other top UK universities).

Why Linguistics?

Linguistics is the subject for people who don’t think two languages is enough.  Now, that’s not to say that it’s all about learning lots of languages at once. Far from it, in fact! Linguistics is even better than that. The truth is, the individual language is a worthwhile and valuable object of study in itself, but the aim of Linguistics is to go a little deeper (though you’ll certainly pick up bits from myriad languages along the way). 

We know that a lot of our language ability is something shared by every human: we all have at least one language, we all acquire languages in the same way as infants, we all use the same tools to make and understand speech (or sign language), and it seems like we might even (though it probably doesn’t feel like it sometimes!) be using the same grammatical “algorithm”, even if the thing that comes out of our mouths gets labelled as English, Malay, or Quechua. And that’s not all. I haven’t even talked about language’s interaction with psychology, neurology, or how language infuses and affects pretty much every aspect of society. Linguistics is, in brief, an “under-the-bonnet” look at what might be the one thing that makes humans unique in the animal kingdom.

So, if it’s so great, why isn’t it a more widespread and popular subject? Many students seem to “stumble upon” Linguistics by accident - but it’s odd that a subject so varied and fundamental to human existence is the sort of thing that needs a stumble to be found! In my opinion, it’s because it’s not a standard school subject. There is no GCSE in Linguistics, no course dedicated to it at A-Level or IB (though other subjects do borrow some of its tools, and vice versa). This can be at once daunting and liberating for a prospective student.  Where do you start? How best to prepare? What are interviewers at Oxbridge looking for?

What follows, for the entirety of this article, is my personal opinion. My specialities were historical linguistics (i.e. how languages change over time) and phonetics (i.e. the mechanics of sequencing and producing speech), but a specialist in e.g. Psycholinguistics might write a very different blog post! What I want to stress is: there is no right or wrong way to prepare for Linguistics . Some people see this as the curse of an interdisciplinary subject, but I see it as a joy. Always more to explore, ready for whenever you want - and it means that you can follow your nose to a large extent. Do you have an interest in speech disorders (often called “aphasia” for a general term)? Great! Indulge it as part of your preparation. Is computational linguistics your thing? Delve into that with gusto.

Let me put it another way. Linguists draw a distinction between prescriptive linguistics (“this is how you should speak and write” - or what most of the world thinks linguists do!) and descriptive linguistics (“let’s record and explain what people actually say and do”). The latter, descriptive linguistics, is what the vast, vast majority of linguists practice - and it’s what you’ll be studying. This guide aims to be similarly descriptive, and not prescriptive. I will suggest what is available, what might be good to pursue or to investigate, and point out some of the things that would make a strong candidate (it is impossible to be exhaustive). It is rare that I will be prescriptive; there are very few “you shoulds” in what follows.  Since Linguistics is a new subject for everyone at the start of university, aptitude and enthusiasm are prized above all else . Our focus will be on how to make the most of that aptitude, and how best to channel that enthusiasm.

Why are you applying?

Before you begin preparing for your linguistics application, it is worth taking a few minutes to think about the reasons why you wish to study the course. This will be crucial for personal statement writing and you may be asked about your motivations for applying at interview.

Reading Around the Subject

As you can tell, this blog post is going to take a highly permissive approach to what counts as useful preparation - but, because of the nature of the UK application process (with the personal statement and maybe an interview, depending on university), some reading and discussion of what you’ve learnt from reading is something that will definitely feature. I should make clear that you should feel no compulsion to tackle any academic texts at this point. Why would you have to - you don’t have any formal training yet! Things on the ambitious side of popular science / written for general consumption by the public will be fine.

A common starting point is Oxford’s Very Short Introduction To Linguistics , and I can see why. You can read it in an afternoon, and it will give a broad overview of what different disciplines in Linguistics there are.  From there, you can take a mosey down whatever route you like - maybe even multiple routes if you aren’t sure. Some of these routes - such as Sociolinguistics - even have Very Short Introductions of their own.

Another fantastic starting point, quite a bit longer but very digestible, is The Story of Human Language by John McWhorter .  This is actually a series of recorded lectures available as an audiobook (or direct from The Great Courses) that has an accompanying PDF with things like diagrams, charts, and so on. I think that, despite the slightly chintzy format of the recording (the between-chapter music really is awful), the content is excellent - and it has the advantage of encouraging you to head off in the direction you choose. Note what makes you prick up your ears - literally - and take your reading from there.

A good touchstone - not necessarily a cover-to-cover read, but a touchstone - is Limits of Language by Mikael Parkvall . If, like me, your only pre-university knowledge of languages is of European languages, this is a great way to dive in to some of the world’s linguistic diversity. I also find that it has a good indication of the different sub-themes encompassed in the discipline - so again, one to dip in and out of, and to reference if needed.

Many universities - including Oxford - only offer Linguistics as a joint course (in Oxford’s case, this means with Psychology, or Philosophy, or a modern language). This is an opportunity for some crossover reading. If you’re studying Linguistics with Italian, for example, it’s worth knowing a little about what Italian is and where it comes from (no, just saying Latin isn’t going to cut the mustard!).  If paired with Psychology, then something on how language operates in the brain is probably a good place to start (perhaps The Stuff of Thought by Steven Pinker is where to go first).

At Cambridge, you spend part of your first year studying the history and development of English itself - and one of the most readable and engaging introductions to that which I’ve found is another John McWhorter book, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue .  In fact, I’d go so far as recommending it to all applicants; since you will be studying with English as the medium, it’s no surprise that many examples you encounter will be from English - and therefore a knowledge of the language’s history itself is a boon.

Some very common texts to appear on personal statements are The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker , Through The Language Glass by Guy Deutscher ,  Linguistics: a Complete Introduction by David Hornsby , and any of a number of books by Jean Aitchison or David Crystal .  These are all popular for a reason - they’re really good! I will not highlight one of them in particular, however. Remember, outside reading is not about swallowing a chunk of prescribed knowledge; it’s about what you do with the knowledge you acquire. It is easy to tell when a student has read book X because “it’s what you’re supposed to do, isn’t it?”. It is far preferable for a student to have read a small number of texts, or to have developed a special interest and the ability to speak interestingly about it. It’s also far easier to show enthusiasm when you’re in that position, as that enthusiasm won’t be artificial.

Other Non-Book Sources

Podcasts are my go-to when it comes to learning about ... well, anything really.  For me, the format is great. Portable, almost always free, and pitched at just the right level: designed to hold attention, but sturdy enough for a good piece of knowledge to be acquired. Again, the ones that are going to appeal most is a matter of personal choice. But there’s plenty out there, and I think the majority of them are fairly good at covering a wide range of topics. The back-catalogues of some of them are copious (you do not need to listen to them all!), so be choosy - start with the episodes that whet your appetite, and then delve deeper if you develop a taste.  Some back-catalogues into which to delve are (in no particular order) Lingthusiasm , BBC Word of Mouth , The Allusionist , Lexicon Valley , The History of English .

YouTube and a few other video sites (such as TED) will also provide a good overview of certain subjects and topics - and, even better, some of them will allow you to get an idea of what other languages sound like along the way. Some of my favourite channels are NativLang , Tom Scott’s Language Files , and The Ling Space , though there are others to explore as well - again, feel free to act like a magpie here, and pounce on whatever seems shiny to you.

If you live in a large city, you might find talks and lectures on Linguistics that can be attended as well ... but honestly, this isn’t something you need to lose sleep over. I didn’t have access to these when I applied, for instance, and did not feel any poorer for it. Nor is Linguistics the sort of mass-appeal subject that, say, history or a science is - so it might be hard to find suitable lectures in the first place!

Either way, whether it’s books or some of the other avenues mentioned above, what matters is the benefit that engaging with them has given you. It all relates back to the undefined nature of what a good linguist will look like, and how there is no single body of knowledge, no syllabus, that is expected of you. The utility in these books, podcasts, and videos is what you learn, and how well you can demonstrate that learning - and that’s always easier if you have a genuine interest. Hence the emphasis above on enjoyment. If it’s not captivating you, try something else!

Special Interests for Linguistics

This is another facet of the qualities of a linguist being a little shapeless (or, if we’re kinder, flexible and open). As mentioned, Linguistics is a subject that people stumble upon, often by accident. It’s really common for that to be a specialist interest in something that intersects with Linguistics. 

I had one of these: Old Norse and Modern Icelandic, both of which had captured my imagination years before thinking about university. Whilst one might find a couple (only 2 or 3, to my knowledge) of places where these can be studied in the UK as the main component of your degree, I chose to go for Linguistics instead: that interest in Old Norse led to other things - especially language change - and from there to Linguistics itself (and yes, I did get to look at Old Norse as one exam paper within the degree). This is a trait that I’ve noticed with other students as well: previous students of mine have had interests in American Sign Language, or Mongolian, or bilingualism in young children, or how language use intersects with gender. I am happy to bet that you have some kind of Linguistics-related special interest as well. So: hone it.

There is no set method for this; it really is an open field. If it’s a language, then it’s worth looking at how that language works (not just how to speak it, but also its grammar, culture, sounds or signs, and history). If it’s something more thematic, like bilingualism, then I’d say that it’s worth looking for in-depth discussions, texts, or articles about it.  But I’ll guess that, if you’re looking at this page, you’ve started doing that for your special interest already. In short, give yourself the time to geek out about it! I was asked about Icelandic in every university interview I had, even the interviews which were not related to Old Norse, Icelandic, or Linguistics at all - another indication that there are many routes to demonstrating interest, and that the ball really is in your court.

Things You Don’t Need to Worry About for Linguistics

From-scratch subjects are a little different to others. If you’re applying for a language, then yes, some experience using that language (or, if feasible, time in a place where that language is spoken) is always welcome. For some other courses, having work experience is a major advantage, even a quasi-prerequisite. Not so with Linguistics! Many generalist guides to university application will chat about demonstrating your interest in a subject in a practical way, but fear not - this doesn’t apply here.

Some schools encourage students to write essays for prizes. I know of one for Linguistics, run by Trinity College at Cambridge (there may be more, this just happens to be the one I know) - you will need to be in Year 12/Lower Sixth or equivalent to be eligible, and the deadline is early August. You might find them useful as practice in researching a linguistic topic, and the topic (for 2021 at time of writing) is interesting, however, don’t consider them a priority and don’t be discouraged if you don’t win!

You also don’t need to know of any particular theories within Linguistics itself, nor really of any current affairs or developments (like I would expect for, say, a Modern Languages candidate). As you’ll find out soon enough, there are many theories which attempt to explain the mechanisms by which we produce speech.  For example, I guarantee that you’ll hear about Noam Chomsky and Generative Grammar in at least one of the books you read. A background outline of Chomsky’s ideas will be sufficient - but do not feel like you need an understanding of the theory itself.  Or, in other words, it’s good to know what it is, but it’s certainly not necessary to know how it works! 

Admissions Tests for Linguistics

Only Cambridge requires an admissions exam dedicated to Linguistics. Oxford used to do so, and students will still need to sit a test for the other “half” of their degree (either the Modern Languages Admissions Test ( see U2 blog ) if paired with a language, or the TSA (See U2 blog) if paired with Philosophy or Psychology), but the Linguistics-specific portion is no longer offered. This is (in my personal opinion) a shame, as they were actually rather absorbing!

That’s not to say that there’s no longer any usefulness in looking at Oxford’s tests, in fact, I think it’s super-helpful no matter which university you choose!  See other sections below.

The Cambridge test is taken at-interview, lasts an hour, and is split into three equal-time and equal-mark parts: some questions on an unknown language, some data analysis (usually of graphs, but sometimes of charts), and a short essay based on a linguistics-themed topic. You will need to attempt all questions. You do not need specialist terminology or knowledge to complete these tests - that’s not what it’s about! It’s a gauge of a few things: your aptitude, your ability to process data, and a snapshot of your essay-writing ability. There are a few past papers available on the Cambridge website itself (on the Entry Requirements tab, at time of writing this guide) , and you will of course find it useful to practice with these. I do have a couple of other ideas as well, in case you run out:

There are a few more tips on the linguistic analysis below, so I won’t repeat that here.  For the graphs section, this is something that can be practised a little with Oxford’s past papers (link below), which also have graphs and charts to analyse (though, as the test for Oxford was half the length of Cambridge’s, they’re a little bit more simple - but still good practice!). But do not be intimidated by the graphs; they are (by my eye) no more complex than the chart/graph skills needed for GCSE Science, and some questions related to the graphs are often speculative (e.g. “the graphs show that younger people say XYZ but older people say ABC ; why might that be?”) - so the graphs themselves are usually no big deal.

The essay-writing section is what students find hardest, in my experience - and this is because a 20-minute essay is something unusual and not really expected in most other areas of study!  What I think is best is: to plan the essay, even just a rough plan, for a few minutes.  A look at the mark scheme shows us that there are marks for style and structure, so they’re expecting you to display both! The essay should be short, relevant, to-the-point, and organised. Often a structure is implied in the question, so this is easier than I’m making it sound - you’ll see what I mean. When writing, ensure that you have answered every aspect of the question - and nothing more (you don’t have time for more). This essay (indeed the whole test) is a skill, and as with any skill, practice leads to improvement.

Linguistic Analysis/ Dealing with Unfamiliar Languages

I’ve separated this out from other parts of this discussion, as it’s part of the process for everyone at some point: being presented with unfamiliar utterances in a language, being asked to draw conclusions and generalisations about the language’s form and grammar, and (sometimes) to make new sentences according to the grammar rules that you notice. This might sound terrifying, but trust me - once you start, it’s really fun!

This is where Oxford’s past papers are a great well of resources for some practice (on the How Do I Prepare? tab, at time of writing this guide) .  The Linguistics test is (well, was) part of the Modern Languages Admissions Test. PDFs of the whole thing are freely available on Oxford’s website, and available for download. Most of them also have mark schemes available - but you don’t need to worry about exam technique.  Instead, try and solve the little language-based puzzles (and most of them are puzzles, in a way). Gain a method for analysing and systematising the data, and explain it aloud to yourself - even if it makes you sound a little nuts! It’s what you’d need to do in an interview setting, so it’s decent practice. I found that coloured pens or a set of highlighters will be useful; it helps you notice and mark the commonalities and patterns (or grammar rules, in short) - and they’ll be ready if you need to use them to generate a new phrase in the language. I think you’ll be surprised at how engaging - fun, even - these will turn out to be. If applying for Cambridge, give Oxford’s papers a go: they help you get accustomed to the first and second questions in the Cambridge paper.

Some schools and students also participate in the UK Linguistics Olympiad . This is, again, a competition based on linguistic and grammatical analysis, or pattern finding. If your school offers it, great! Give it a try. But I certainly don’t think it’s an obligatory step in preparation - I didn’t even know what it was when applying! That said, I think it’s a brilliant resource for practising. Many of the papers from previous years, with explanations, are freely available on the UKLO website; you can practice solo with past questions from there. Again, I think these are great fun, and I think you will too! But you needn’t approach it in any formalised way if that option is unavailable or un-enticing.

This is an example problem from the Linguistics Olympiad - their training materials are excellent practice!

How to Prepare for the Linguistics Interview

The interview is often the section of the application process which most worries applicants. The info below is mostly for Oxford and Cambridge, though other courses with Linguistics as a component (e.g. BA Language and Culture at UCL) may also require an interview. What I find interesting is that there seems to be no set agenda for the interviews, no checklist, no recurring topic, and no “this will definitely happen” task or question. Again, I think it’s best to see this as a liberation rather than a worry. Feedback from previous students does indicate one commonality: the interviews themselves were more entertaining - pleasant, even - than expected. What follows is a list of things that I’ve heard of that crop up in interviews. You might experience all of these, or just some - and it’s no indication of a good or poor performance if you aren’t asked them all. Some are my own experiences, some from old classmates, some from old students of mine. They’re in no particular order:

•  A language puzzle . These are common, but not universal. Oxford in particular seems to be setting them, now that the paper-based test has been retired. I had one of these with an East African language. Often (but not always) you will be given the stimulus in advance of the interview - so it won’t necessarily be something you have to deal with on the spot!

•  Analysis of English grammar . This might ask you to explain and codify what’s going on in some English sentences - which might involve a bit of wordplay, or ambiguous sentences, or use of a particular word in a variety of contexts. Again, you are usually given a bit of alone time to look at these before the interview. The techniques for this are the same as for any other language puzzle: systematise, organise, find commonalities, and explain.

•  Discussion of your personal statement . With no grades or (in most cases) Linguistics-specific teacher reference to draw on, this is often the interviewers’ main source of information about you before the interview itself. If you’ve done your preparation right, there will be plenty of avenues waiting for the interviewer to pick up.

•  Discussion of any clear special interests . This is something that’ll likely make itself clear in your personal statement, but I’ve separated it out because (personal opinion alert!) it’s often the most interesting thing from the interviewer’s perspective. A nice source of variety. As mentioned earlier, I was asked about Icelandic in every interview, and I recall it being the topic which most interested the interviewers. When I give mock interviews, I pounce on any clear special subjects. It’s usually the area where you are most able to demonstrate aptitude, interest, and a drive to investigate something of your own volition - so keep chipping away at the special interest, whatever it is, and it will be easy for that interest to radiate out.

Overall, then, it seems to me that the interview is as open and flexible as the rest of what we’ve discussed so far. There are, of course, plenty of things that one can do in order to come across well. Most of these, like getting used to language puzzles, developing a special interest, and knowing the content of your personal statement, can be prepared in advance. But there is an element of unpredictability - and that is, of course, deliberate . It’s another indication that the interviewers are hunting for aptitude. This doesn’t mean they’re trying to catch you out! The opposite, in fact: since your ability is something of a blank slate (no indicative grades to look at, say), they’re trying to reel you in. I find it quite fitting that it’s often called an “invitation” to interview - because that’s exactly what it is. They’re asking you to come with an open mind, and to show them how that mind works.

I half-suspect that this guide might not have been what you expected. Many “how-to” guides are, by definition, prescriptive; this was descriptive. I’ve purposefully avoided that as much as I can (though inevitably there’s a bit of prescription above). It’s all because of those two central things that are most prized in the selection for Linguistics (and indeed some other from-scratch subjects): interest, and aptitude. The intention of this guide has not been to push you in a particular direction, because there is no set direction in which you should be pushed. If you’ve read this far in this (really quite long!) blog post, it’s a safe bet that you’re already interested in Linguistics. You probably already know what the special interest is as well - the thing that first caught your eye, the thing that makes your knowledge and investigation unique. What’s laid out above are just tools that you can use to sharpen your own aptitude, to augment your interests. I emphasise it so frequently because I think it really matters.  Treat the information above not as a route laid out on a map, but merely the unscrolled map itself . It is up to you to chart the course you’ll most enjoy - and it will, I promise, be enjoyable.

Are You Applying For Linguistics or Joint Honours Linguistics (E.g. PPL) at Oxbridge?

Oxbridge Linguistics Mentoring

U2 offers ad hoc sessions as well as wider Oxbridge Mentoring programmes ( book a free consultation to discuss options). We have a great team of Oxbridge-educated Linguistics mentors including 1st Class, Master’s and PhD level graduates.

The Process:

1) We suggest an Oxbridge Linguistics graduate as a mentor and send their full CV for review. Our mentors are deeply familiar with the admissions process to study Linguistics/ Joint Honours with Linguistics at the University of Oxford and Cambridge, and are well-placed to guide you through personal statement curation, the entrance exam (if applicable) and interview process. 

2) We typically suggest beginning with a 1.5 hour informal assessment/ taster session , where the mentor will informally assess the student’s current performance level for application, including test and interview. Following this, we issue a report with feedback, and structure a plan to best prepare.

3) U2’s approach for regular Linguistics application sessions: The main focus of tutorial sessions will be to explore material that can be discussed in the personal statement and at interview. Mentors ensure each student refines their interests within Linguistics, and is exposed to a range of approaches and new concepts, guiding students in their reading and wider subject exploration. Together, we build a case for the student, exploring their special interests in the subject and honing skills for the admissions test if applicable.

Frequency of sessions can be decided between student and mentor. Students can take either ad hoc sessions, or we structure a full programme for preparation, which may include further co-curricular opportunities such as our research projects , our Languages Summer Schools and Oxbridge mock interview days. Oxbridge mentoring presents a wonderful opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some extraordinary academic minds. We would be delighted to support you through what can be a challenging, but hugely rewarding process.

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Successful Personal Statement For Modern Languages At Oxford

Last Updated: 10th August 2020

Author: Adi Sen

• Modern Languages

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Modern Languages applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Oxford University. The Modern Languages Course at Oxford aims to teach spoken fluency in colloquial and more formal situations, as well as the ability to write essays in the foreign language, and the ability to translate into and out of the foreign language with accuracy and sensitivity to a range of vocabulary, styles and registers.

Read on to see how the candidate approached this Personal Statement. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Oxbridge Modern Languages comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

Your tutor will give you actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Modern Languages Personal Statement

France has developed a literature of unequalled richness and variety. Europeans in any age have had few thoughts, desires, or fantasies that a French writer somewhere has not expressed-it has given the Western mind an image of itself. In this sense, French literature serves as a pool in which many cultures meet. Therefore, in particular, it is French literature’s universality which interests me.

Nevertheless, I enjoy how literature provides a window into an author’s contemporary society. For example, ‘Madame Bovary’ draws us into Flaubert’s disgust for the bourgeois existence of the 19thcentury; Zola’s ‘Thérèse Raquin’ invites us into the leprous lower-depths of Paris. I am interested in how both these writers, unparalleled in their psychological clarity and narrative muscle, provide such a brutal and relentless account of their chosen subject matter: for Flaubert, the indulgent decadence of the bourgeoisie, exemplified by Emma Bovary; for Zola, the moral dankness of the murderous lovers. In addition, I have watched Kassovitz’s ‘La Haine’ and Truffaut’s ‘Les quatre cents coups’, both similar to Zola and Flaubert in their rigorous exploration of character. Focusing on social outcasts, these films act as an exposition of societal problems. ‘La Haine’ sheds light on the all-encompassing violence and cultural exclusion of the suburbs of Paris, while ‘Les quatre cent coups’ reveals the shocking injustices in the treatment of juvenile offenders. Thus, such French cinema serves to illuminate the neglected–I relish this narrative potential in the discovery of truth.

Besides these more realistic works, both my English and French A Levels have introduced me toAbsurdism.I have appreciated the works of Beckett (‘Fin de partie’, ‘En attendant Godot’) and Ionesco (‘La Cantatrice Chauve’, ‘Rhinocéros’). These tragicomedies simultaneously entertain and provoke–the reason why I found them so enjoyable and yet so powerful. To pursue this interest in Absurdism, I read Voltaire’s absurd ‘contes philosophiques’, ‘Candide’ and ‘Micromegas’. Fiction, I found, proved to be the perfect medium of expression for Voltaire’s empiricism and scepticism. Therefore, like the tragicomedies of the 20th century, I thought Voltaire’s work succeeded both as entertainment and as an accessible manifesto of his philosophical beliefs. Furthermore, I decided to follow up this interest in such ‘contes philosophiques’ by undertaking an Edexcel Extended Project, entitled ‘Ancient Influence on French Existentialist Literature’, for which I was awarded an A*. Here, I focused on why Camus, in ‘Le Mythe de Sisyphe’, Sartre, in ‘Les Mouches’, and Anouilh, in ‘Antigone’, chose to use classical themes and motifs to communicate their own particular perception of Existentialism. Despite its challenges, the more I worked at this project, the more certain I was that this is what and how I would like to study.

Moreover, I have taken an interest in symbolist French poetry. Having studied some poetry by Baudelaire (‘Les Fleurs du Mal’) and Verlaine (‘Romances sans paroles’), I have become fascinated by the crippling and contrasting emotions communicated in these poems. I now admire how the very sound of the French language can control the register of a poem and, thus, highlight its true meaning even amongst the most abstract, intangible imagery, employed by Baudelaire and Verlaine. I am intrigued by the French language in part due to this precision.

Finally, I contributed regularly to my school’s Modern Languages magazine, ‘Babel’, and have competed in ‘Les Joutes Oratoires’, a national French debating competition in which I reached the final. Through these experiences, I have begun to thoroughly enjoy communicating in French. I believe an extra language extends one’s range. It releases you from the inertia of one cultural gear–achange of perspective that I find truly enlightening and enjoyable. I will be working in Paris from January to March.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide 

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

Throughout this statement, the applicant engages consistently with a range of French texts at a very advanced level.

The applicant is able to demonstrate not only an awareness of a huge tranche of French literature but also how specific works intersect. This comparative criticism is carried out by the applicant across several different forms in a manner that is lucid and impressive.

The applicant has mentioned their personal research and is able to indicate why it is interesting and relevant. They are also able to indicate how their personal pursuits are reciprocally and beneficially related to their academic studies.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

At particular moments, this applicant veers from an academic register into an overtly formal one; a stylistic turn which, while remaining clear in meaning, is a little jarring.

More personal information would have been a welcome addition to this statement, especially since its academic calibre is so relentlessly clear throughout; the statement has the potential to be slightly breathless in its rapid consideration of big swathes of literature.

The statement could, therefore, have happily absorbed more personal information without diluting its clear academic potential.

In addition, the candidate could have taken slightly more care over their phrasing, which occasionally takes a tone bordering on reductive or patronising; a risk which is perhaps not worth taking in this context.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

The candidate effectively and efficiently communicates a level of cultural awareness which goes far above and beyond the demands of their curriculum.

They are able to demonstrate how they practically carry forward their interests in extra-curricular and academic activities. Throughout the statement, the applicant engages a muscular, academically-considered tone which is clear and authoritative.

There was room in the statement for greater personal depth and warmth, and for greater justification for some of the strong academic arguments being posed.

And there we have it – an Oxford Modern Languages Personal Statement with feedback from our expert tutors. 

Remember, at Oxford, the Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Check out our Free Personal Statement Resources page for even more successful personal statements and expert guides.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Oxford Modern Languages application.

With our  Oxbridge Oxford Modern Languages Premium Programme we help you craft the perfect  Personal   Statement , achieve a highly competitive MLAT score and teach you how to  Interview effectively.

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A 10-Step Guide to Writing an Outstanding Personal Statement

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Applying to college can be daunting, especially when it comes to writing a personal statement. This essay showcases not just your writing skills but also your unique personality, achievements, and aspirations. Understanding that while grades are crucial, a personal statement often becomes the differentiating factor in your application. To navigate this essential component, we’ve compiled a ten-step guide, replete with examples, to ensure your personal statement leaves a lasting impression on admissions officers.

Applying to college can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to writing a personal statement. This essay not only showcases your writing skills but also highlights your unique personality, achievements, and aspirations. While it may seem unnecessary, tedious, time-consuming, and just another tick-the-box, know that as each application is processed, grades are just one of the criteria of selection, more often than not a personal statement becomes the differentiating factor.

To help you navigate this crucial component of your application, we’ve compiled a ten-step guide, complete with inspiring examples to ensure your personal statement makes a lasting impression on admissions officers.

• Start Early and Brainstorm Begin the process early to give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm. Reflect on your experiences, achievements, and motivations. Think about what makes you unique, both in terms of personality and life experiences.
• Understand the Prompt Make sure you clearly understand what the college is asking for. Each institution may have different prompts or questions. Tailor your response specifically to each prompt, ensuring you answer it fully and directly. Be comprehensive and succinct in your answers, choosing words that convey your candidature the best.
• Create an Outline Draft an outline to organize your thoughts and ensure a coherent flow of ideas. This will help you structure your statement effectively, making sure every part contributes towards presenting a compelling narrative.
• Exhibit, Don’t Tell Use specific examples to demonstrate your qualities and achievements. Instead of stating that you’re a great leader, describe a situation where you demonstrated leadership. This method makes your statement more engaging and believable.
• Focus on Your Strengths While it might be tempting to cover a wide range of subjects, focusing on a few key strengths or experiences can have a stronger impact. Depth over breadth is crucial in personal statements.
• Be Authentic Admissions officers can tell when a statement is genuine. Write honestly about your experiences and passions and let your natural voice shine through. Authenticity is key to making a personal statement stand out.
• Get Feedback After drafting your statement, seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or friends. They can provide insights on clarity, grammar, and the overall impact of your essay. They all have a perspective of you from an external viewpoint, so do not skip this step.
• Revise and Edit Use the feedback to revise your statement. Look for areas where you can clarify your points, eliminate redundancy, and correct grammatical errors. This step is crucial for polishing your final submission.
• Keep It Concise Adhere to the word limit. Being able to express your thoughts concisely and effectively is a skill appreciated by admissions officers.
• Final Review Before submitting, do a final review. Read your statement out loud to catch any remaining errors or awkward phrasing. Make sure it sounds natural and is easy to read.

Examples of Exemplary Personal Statements:

Example 1: The Innovator Jane’s personal statement begins with a vivid description of her tinkering with a broken radio at age eight, which sparked her interest in technology. She intertwines her personal journey with her academic achievements, such as leading her school’s robotics team to a national competition. Jane uses specific examples, like designing a new robot navigation system, to demonstrate her passion and skill in engineering.

Example 2: The Community Leader John opens his statement with a powerful recount of organizing community relief efforts during a local flood. Highlighting his role in mobilizing volunteers and coordinating with local authorities, he demonstrates strong leadership and commitment to his community. His narrative includes feedback from the community and the personal growth he experienced, providing a well-rounded view of his character.

Example 3: The Attentive Listener Emma’s personal statement explores her profound appreciation for music and its role in shaping her interpersonal connections. She describes an afternoon spent sharing playlists with a group of international students, which turned into a deep discussion about cultural expressions through music. This experience not only highlights her listening skills but also illustrates her ability to forge meaningful relationships through shared interests.

Example 4: The Compassionate Leader David writes about his high emotional quotient and how it spurred him to lead a community initiative focused on animal welfare. His personal statement recounts organizing local workshops to educate people about animal kindness and launching a successful campaign for a local shelter. David’s story reflects his empathy and leadership in translating compassion into actionable community improvement.

Commentary: Every life is extraordinary; it’s how you narrate your story that captures the reader’s eye. Your personal statement should reflect your unique experiences and aspirations.

Conclusion:

In crafting your personal statement, remember, you don’t have to be extraordinary in the usual sense—honesty and transparency are key. Be a dreamer of the art of the possible; dream as big as you can and let those dreams articulate themselves in your words. This approach not only reveals your true self to admissions officers but also shows your potential to contribute meaningfully to their academic community. Start your adventure today! Use these steps as your guide to find the university that best fits your future goals. Dream big and achieve even bigger.

A 10-Step Guide to Picking the Right University

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Cats on the moon? Google's AI tool is producing misleading responses that have experts worried

Ask Google if cats have been on the moon and it used to spit out a ranked list of websites so you could discover the answer for yourself.

Now it comes up with an instant answer generated by artificial intelligence -- which may or may not be correct.

“Yes, astronauts have met cats on the moon, played with them, and provided care," said Google's newly retooled search engine in response to a query by an Associated Press reporter.

It added: "For example, Neil Armstrong said, ‘One small step for man’ because it was a cat’s step. Buzz Aldrin also deployed cats on the Apollo 11 mission.”

None of this is true. Similar errors — some funny, others harmful falsehoods — have been shared on social media since Google this month unleashed AI overviews, a makeover of its search page that frequently puts the summaries on top of search results.

The new feature has alarmed experts who warn it could perpetuate bias and misinformation and endanger people looking for help in an emergency.

When Melanie Mitchell, an AI researcher at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico, asked Google how many Muslims have been president of the United States, it responded confidently with a long-debunked conspiracy theory: “The United States has had one Muslim president, Barack Hussein Obama.”

Mitchell said the summary backed up the claim by citing a chapter in an academic book, written by historians. But the chapter didn’t make the bogus claim — it was only referring to the false theory.

“Google’s AI system is not smart enough to figure out that this citation is not actually backing up the claim,” Mitchell said in an email to the AP. “Given how untrustworthy it is, I think this AI Overview feature is very irresponsible and should be taken offline.”

Google said in a statement Friday that it's taking “swift action” to fix errors — such as the Obama falsehood — that violate its content policies; and using that to “develop broader improvements” that are already rolling out. But in most cases, Google claims the system is working the way it should thanks to extensive testing before its public release.

“The vast majority of AI Overviews provide high-quality information, with links to dig deeper on the web," Google said a written statement. “Many of the examples we’ve seen have been uncommon queries, and we’ve also seen examples that were doctored or that we couldn’t reproduce.”

It's hard to reproduce errors made by AI language models — in part because they're inherently random. They work by predicting what words would best answer the questions asked of them based on the data they've been trained on. They're prone to making things up — a widely studied problem known as hallucination.

The AP tested Google's AI feature with several questions and shared some of its responses with subject matter experts. Asked what to do about a snake bite, Google gave an answer that was “impressively thorough,” said Robert Espinoza, a biology professor at the California State University, Northridge, who is also president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

But when people go to Google with an emergency question, the chance that an answer the tech company gives them includes a hard-to-notice error is a problem.

“The more you are stressed or hurried or in a rush, the more likely you are to just take that first answer that comes out,” said Emily M. Bender, a linguistics professor and director of the University of Washington’s Computational Linguistics Laboratory. “And in some cases, those can be life-critical situations.”

That’s not Bender’s only concern — and she has warned Google about them for several years. When Google researchers in 2021 published a paper called “Rethinking search” that proposed using AI language models as “domain experts” that could answer questions authoritatively — much like they are doing now — Bender and colleague Chirag Shah responded with a paper laying out why that was a bad idea.

They warned that such AI systems could perpetuate the racism and sexism found in the huge troves of written data they’ve been trained on.

“The problem with that kind of misinformation is that we’re swimming in it,” Bender said. “And so people are likely to get their biases confirmed. And it’s harder to spot misinformation when it’s confirming your biases.”

Another concern was a deeper one — that ceding information retrieval to chatbots was degrading the serendipity of human search for knowledge, literacy about what we see online, and the value of connecting in online forums with other people who are going through the same thing.

Those forums and other websites count on Google sending people to them, but Google's new AI overviews threaten to disrupt the flow of money-making internet traffic.

Google's rivals have also been closely following the reaction. The search giant has faced pressure for more than a year to deliver more AI features as it competes with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and upstarts such as Perplexity AI, which aspires to take on Google with its own AI question-and-answer app.

“This seems like this was rushed out by Google,” said Dmitry Shevelenko, Perplexity’s chief business officer. “There’s just a lot of unforced errors in the quality.”

The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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