Last-minute SoP help?
I'm down to the wire and I've been completely stuck on how to revise my statement. This is draft number two; in my first draft I put in "a little more "SQUEE!" and a little less substance," as one of my friends put it. I've tried to add more concrete information about what I want to study, but I think I'm still a little light on the "why" ("because I think its really awesome," is the answer, but I don't know if that will cut it.) Suggestions?
I would like to become a candidate for a Master’s degree in Applied English Linguistics. Although I started at _______ University as a music major, I discovered in linguistics a source of constant passion and wonder. I was captivated by the balance of science and story in the diachronic study of English. In my undergraduate research I focused on the historical interchange between Anglo-Norman French and Middle English, culminating in an independent study in which I explored the cultural and structural impact of French loanwords during the first few centuries after the Norman Conquest. In 2007 I graduated with a B.A. in linguistics and a minor in French., I took a position as a special education aide at ______ High School, and I indulged my curiosity about English words by starting an etymology blog with a fellow graduate and reading as much as I could. As I read, I discovered my interest ranged much wider than historical linguistics, and I decided to pursue a program which would allow me to explore many aspects of language study.
The aspects of English which most interest me are its structural flexibility and its capacity to adopt foreign words without losing its distinctive character. Having examined the historical development of these characteristics, I would like to study their synchronic applications in more depth. I want to gain a more current view of the social role of English, as well as a better grasp of its syntax; I hope to tie these with my historical background into a deeper investigation of language change in English. I am also interested in cognitive linguistics, and the role of language and the internet in defining today’s cultural and social parameters. I hope to concentrate my diverse interests into a more cohesive research direction which I can continue to pursue as a Ph.D. candidate. I believe that the program in Applied English Linguistics, with its emphasis on breadth, would be an ideal environment for me to grow in my understanding of the field and give me a better idea of the opportunities for future study. I would love to contribute to a strong academic community through research, writing, and teaching, and I look forward to instilling the same passionate excitement in the next generation of linguistic scholars.
I would like to become a candidate for a Master’s degree in Applied English Linguistics. Although I started at _______ University as a music major, I discovered in linguistics a source of constant passion and wonder. I was captivated by the balance of science and story in the diachronic study of English. In my undergraduate research I focused on the historical interchange between Anglo-Norman French and Middle English, culminating in an independent study in which I explored the cultural and structural impact of French loanwords during the first few centuries after the Norman Conquest. In 2007 I graduated with a B.A. in linguistics and a minor in French., I took a position as a special education aide at ______ High School, and I indulged my curiosity about English words by starting an etymology blog with a fellow graduate and reading as much as I could. As I read, I discovered my interest ranged much wider than historical linguistics, and I decided to pursue a program which would allow me to explore many aspects of language study.
The aspects of English which most interest me are its structural flexibility and its capacity to adopt foreign words without losing its distinctive character. Having examined the historical development of these characteristics, I would like to study their synchronic applications in more depth. I want to gain a more current view of the social role of English, as well as a better grasp of its syntax; I hope to tie these with my historical background into a deeper investigation of language change in English. I am also interested in cognitive linguistics, and the role of language and the internet in defining today’s cultural and social parameters. I hope to concentrate my diverse interests into a more cohesive research direction which I can continue to pursue as a Ph.D. candidate. I believe that the program in Applied English Linguistics, with its emphasis on breadth, would be an ideal environment for me to grow in my understanding of the field and give me a better idea of the opportunities for future study. I would love to contribute to a strong academic community through research, writing, and teaching, and I look forward to instilling the same passionate excitement in the next generation of linguistic scholars.