Job Spotlight – Linguist
A linguist, in the broad sense of the term, is someone who works with languages. Job opportunities for linguists vary widely and are found in fields such as interpreting, translating and forensic science, as well as in the military. Most linguists have at least a bachelor’s degree and a high proficiency with languages.
| Required Education | Bachelor’s degree |
| Other Requirements | Language proficiency |
| Projected Job Growth* | 2% between 2012 and 2022 (social scientists and related workers, all other) |
| Median Salary (2013)* | $76,770 (social scientists and related workers, all other) |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job Duties
The duties of a linguist depend on the company for which he or she works. One of these duties may be to act as an interpreter or translator. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an interpreter aids in communication between speakers of different languages by translating conversations from one language to another and back, bridging the cultural and language gaps between speakers (www.bls.gov). A linguist may also translate written material from one language to another, including medical and legal documents, contracts, literary works and brochures.
Forensic linguists assist various law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prevention of crimes. For instance, both the FBI and the CIA employ linguists to aid in the maintenance of national security. The duties of these linguists may include analyzing foreign language materials, translating reports and depositions, participating in interviews as an interpreter and acting as a cultural expert, according to job listings on the CIA website (www.cia.gov). Linguists employed by the CIA may also teach people who need to learn a language or about a culture for a foreign country assignment.
Linguists are also employed by the military. For example, the Army’s Human Intelligence Collectors are linguists who conduct operations to gather information to aid in defense decisions. Linguists who serve in the Navy as World Languages Experts act as interpreters for visiting dignitaries and during interactions with foreign nationals. In addition they may also transcribe conversations and proceedings in another language or act as radio operators working with electronic listening devices, computers and other equipment that the military uses for communications, according to the U.S. Navy (www.navy.com). Linguists may also be employed by private companies, such as defense contractors providing support to the national government.
Source: http://bit.ly/1ORU70U
