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Anushka (host): This episode, we're talking linguistics. As our world becomes increasingly connected and multilingual, linguists are in demand in both government and private sectors
like tech, media, law enforcement, healthcare, and more, along with lucrative salaries that start at 3.6 lakh rupees all the way up to 48 lakh rupees per annum.
Furthermore, the career field gives individuals opportunities to travel across the world, study and connect with different people, cultures, and civilizations globally. So is a career in linguistics the right one for you?
And if so, what do you need to do to unlock the best opportunities for your career trajectory in linguistics?
Hello and welcome to WiZR Voices, an insightful podcast for learners and career makers. I'm your host, Anushka Chhikara, and this episode, we'll be sharing with you all you need to know about a career in linguistics.
Education, skills, job roles across sectors, salaries, and unique skills. Stay tuned. How do you know if a career in linguistics is the right one for you?
Well, that's the question we'll be exploring today. But to start off, let's go with the definition of linguistics. Linguistics is the study of how humans use language to communicate,
how languages are structured, and how languages change over time. You may already know this, so the definition might seem a bit obvious, but it's key to understanding that linguistics is not just about words and definitions.
It's a discipline that's key in the operating of every professional industry across the world. But what are the basic skills required from professionals in this field?
To start off, think along the lines of communication skills, problem solving, critical thinking skills, research, and computer skills. Beyond that, if you're someone who's willing to travel extensively,
knowing various cultures and civilizations, linguistics is a field that can take you around the world. What is the educational background? What is the background needed to enter the field of linguistics?
In India, individuals interested in linguistics often pursue degrees at various levels. To start off, you need to acquire a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics.
Further, you can acquire a Master of Arts MA or Master of Philosophy MPhil in Linguistics. And at the highest level, experts acquire a PhD in Linguistics.
Now, these degrees provide a comprehensive understanding of linguistic theories, language structure, and analysis. Additionally, based on your career goals,
you may specialise in specific areas such as computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, or applied linguistics. We'll take a look at the need for specialised skilling and upskilling in a bit,
but let's first take a look at the different industries with job roles and career opportunities for linguists. Now, what are the most common job roles in linguistics?
As we've touched upon, there are many areas in which linguists are hired. Teaching, publishing, national security, etc.
Before that, let's get an understanding of common job roles and then we'll take a deeper look at the industries that hire the most for them. Starting off with Linguist, who's a professional that studies the structure and use of language.
Next, we have Speech-Language Pathologist, who's a professional that assesses and treats speech and language disorders. Computational Linguists use computers to study and analyse language.
An Editor is a professional who is responsible for the analysis of language. An Editor is a professional who works with writers to improve the clarity, grammar, and style of their writing. Another common job is Translator, who translates text from one language to another.
A Lexicographer is someone whose work is focused on compiling and creating dictionaries, with a specific focus on defining and documenting the meaning, usage, and evolution of words.
And finally, a Language Teacher, who educates students in the acquisition and usage of a particular language. Now, what are the sectors across India that have a demand for skilled linguistic professionals?
First off, the field of education. Linguistic studies open doors to teaching opportunities in schools, colleges, and language institutes, especially for foreign language training programmes.
Government agencies also hire linguists to supervise language training programmes and conduct research on various languages. Specialised tasks may include determining geographical names for mapping and other purposes.
In publishing, lexicographers are integral and are involved in creating dictionaries, focusing on pronunciation, grammatical terms, dialectical variation, and etymology.
Linguists contribute to various publishing areas, such as foreign language textbooks, editing, and curriculum designing for elementary and secondary programmes.
When it comes to the field of healthcare, many linguists work in language disorder analysis. They contribute to speech pathology and audiology by researching and improving language skills.
Linguists also work in different ways to analyse language disintegration that's associated with disorders like aphasia and dyslexia. Their research also informs the evaluation and design of intervention programmes for child language disorders.
Linguists also play a crucial role in law enforcement and investigation. They're involved to help in solving criminal cases, particularly those involving speaker identification.
Acoustic phonetics, a significant aspect of linguistics, equips linguists as technically chained manpower for investigations. In the call centre industry, linguists are employed to develop chaining modules.
Their expertise addresses language-related needs in this industry. In the field of scientific and technical information,
linguists are involved in technical writing, translating scientific and technical information for manuals, instruction materials, and engineering reports. They collaborate closely with scientists, engineers, and others.
Another common career path for linguists is in translation services, where after training in translation techniques, linguists are eligible for translator positions in both public and private sectors.
An emerging field for linguists involves managerial positions in the banking and financial service sector.
Linguists in these roles are responsible for providing effective phonetics, language, input, culture, and customer service training to delegates while ensuring training consistency.
Let's also take a moment to discuss the rise in demand for linguists in the tech industry in India and globally. In the last decade, with the rise of Indian startups and accelerating technology,
there's been a simultaneous need for skilled linguists to enhance language-related technologies like natural language processing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, both Indian and global tech giants like Apple, Amazon, Flipkart, and Google are stepping up their game in speech recognition.
Here, analytical linguists play a key role by using their knowledge of accents and dialects to enhance user interfaces.
Experts in sociolinguistics and anthropological linguistics help businesses navigate cultural and linguistic nuances for effective advertising.
Now that we understand the jobs and sectors for linguists, what kind of salaries can you expect in your career trajectory? The salary range can vary depending on factors like your specific job role, experience, or career path.
The salary range can vary depending on factors like your specific job role, experience, or career path. But on average, you can expect a starting salary of 3.6 lakh rupees per annum, and within 5 years into your career in linguistics, you can earn up to 7 lakh rupees per annum.
10 years into your career, you can expect a salary up to 19 lakh rupees per annum. And in 15 years, you can earn up to 48 lakh rupees per annum.
But in linguistics, like any other career field we cover, the importance of upskilling cannot be emphasized here. Earlier in this episode, we discussed the degrees that you need to enter and start your career in linguistics.
But to unlock unique and lucrative opportunities, you'll also have to uniquely skill yourself. This is where we at WiZR can help you discover, learn, and finance courses to grow your career in linguistics.
WiZR is India's ultimate skilling marketplace. When you head on over to wizr.in, you can explore skilling courses across English, German, Spanish, and French.
You can also compare these courses based on your specific needs, and receive no-cost EMI financing options for your course fees. Terms and conditions apply.
As a professional in linguistics, the more you skill and specialize, the more career opportunities you can unlock. So start your journey with WiZR. That's WiZR.in. The link is in the show notes.
We started this episode with the definition of linguistics, and now we've understood that this vast field isn't just about words. It's about unlocking a world of opportunities.
With salaries starting from 3.6 lakh rupees per annum that can go all the way up to 48 lakh rupees per annum, the journey is as rewarding as it is diverse.
Whether you're decoding accents for tech giants, crafting dictionaries, or unraveling mysteries and criminal cases, linguistics has a place for you.
Beyond the job roles and salaries, linguistics also offers you opportunities to travel the world, connect with diverse cultures, and bridge gaps across the globe.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career in linguistics, WiZR can help you unlock opportunities by uniquely skilling yourself for the best career trajectory.
Visit WiZR.in to get started so you can grow WiZR every day.
For more information on how you can grow your career, visit WiZR.in. The link is in the description.
This podcast is a production of WiZR. I’m your host Anushka Chhikara. Achyutanand Dwivedi is the head of audio and video production, and Loveleen Sehrawat is our executive producer. For more information on how you can grow your career, visit WiZR.in, the link is in the description.
