Re: OT: Linguistics Study

Jeffrey Jones, On 21/07/2007 09:44:
> Unfortunately, I haven't worked much in several years, due to my disability
> (which I forgot to mention in my original post, sorry!) and also because work
> opportunities for my specialty (assembly language programming) have
> disappeared. I haven't _yet_ been able to track down my supervisors from the
> 90's.
This stuff oughtn't to matter. Students with a strong zest for their subject are
precious. Your writing sample should be able to demonstrate your aptitude and
your zest.

> On another note, one of the admissions requirements is a writing sample,
> about 15 pages, ideally about some linguistic topic. Since all I have from my
> undergraduate days are musical scores and PL/I programs, and am wary of
> submitting my Naisek grammar, I'll have to write something. Any ideas about
> what topic may be web-researchable?
What are your interests? Something that you can research independently on your own
doorstep is perhaps better than something that is entirely web-researchable.

I agree it is advisable not to submit the Naisek grammar as your writing sample,
but I think it would be good to add to your application a personal statement
that summarizes the research and reading you've done for the languages on your
QIIHOSKEH page, and the linguistic interests that are crystallized in this
work. Perhaps this exercize will also clarify what you require from a
linguistics programme, and hence will help determine which linguistics
programmes satisfy your requirements.

--And.