Linguistics can trace its roots back to the ancient Sanskrit grammarians, and the study of language is probably as old as language itself. However, the twentieth century has produced an explosion in the scientific study of language. As our understanding of the nature and structure of human language develops, linguistics is becoming relevant to many other areas of research such as Cognitive Science, Artificial Intelligence, Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, Psychology, and Philosophy.
On its own, linguistics represents an invaluable key to the nature of the mind and the diverse elements of human culture; as a tool, linguistics is unmatched in preparing one for the learning and teaching of languages and for integrating language with technology.