Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 09:19:06 CDT

From: Erin McKean emm2[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU

Subject: Re: Masters programs and beyond



RE: MA in Linguistics



Well, I'm working as a lexicographer with an MA from the University

of Chicago in Linguistics. Do I need the stuff I learned? No. Did I

enjoy getting the degree? Yes. Was it better than doing a BA or MA in

English? Hell, yes!



I find that English degrees in publishing seem to be like

belly buttons. Everyone's got one, so it's nothing special. I find

that a linguistics background while not essential for doing

dictionaries for schoolchildren, is certainly more interesting than

an English or teaching background. And interesting sometimes equals

hired.



Of course, take this with a grain of salt. I've always wanted to be

a lexicographer, and I really enjoyed getting my MA. . .but all

my research for my thesis and my independent study classes were

about dictionaries. If I had to do it over again, though, I'd

probably get a degree in computer science, with a minor in Linguistics.



So I agree with Lynne. If you love linguistics, then go for it. If you

just want to do research with a linguistical bent, try computer science.





Erin McKean

Thorndike-Barnhart Dictionaries

alternate email address: erin.mckean[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]harpercollins.com