Meanings
languistics1
- uncountablehuman sciencesA proposed subfield of linguistics which focuses on language learning.
To be a science, languistics will have to break with much of the past, to develop its own theory and to apply it according to its own principles and procedures.
1982, Hector Hammerly, Synthesis in Second Language Teaching: An Introduction to Languistics (Series in Linguistics; 1), Blaine, W.A.; North Burnaby, B.C.: Second Language Publications, →ISBN, page 222 more examples
This new field of activity—once it is clearly marked out and acknowledged—will need to be identified by a new name. We propose to call it languistics, and to call the person who is trained in this field a languist. […] Languistics will continue to find in words the present state and past history of their form and meaning, and in language the manner in which it operates and changes.
1960, Nelson H. Brooks, Language and Language Learning: Theory and Practice, New York, N.Y.; San Diego, C.A.: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., pages 174–176In this second volume in his series on languistics, Hammerly proposes make explicit the theory that was implicitly stated in volume 1, Synthesis in Second Language Teaching: An Introduction to Languistics.
1987 December, H. Jay Siskin, “Textbooks, CAI Software, and Methodology”, in The French Review, volume 61, number 2, Champaign, I.L.: American Association of Teachers of French, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 327
languistics2
- misspellingMisspelling of linguistics.
Origin
A modification of linguistics. Coined by linguist Nelson H. Brooks in 1960 (see quotation below).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
languistics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/languistics
“languistics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/languistics. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “languistics,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/languistics.
Source: languistics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.