You should become familiar with languages other than your own. Language clubs are a good way to do this, as is attending multicultural festivals and other events. You should take advantage of opportunities to travel to other countries and communicate with people of different language backgrounds in order to gain insight into how important language is to culture. If travel is not possible, you might discuss with your family the possibility of hosting a foreign exchange student.
If you live near a university, you may be able to arrange an information interview with a member of its linguistics department. This could offer insights into what a career in a university setting is like. In addition, university language departments often offer events, speakers, and films that focus on various languages and cultures. The Web sites of college departments of linguistics will also provide a lot of useful information about the field.
If you're in high school, participate in the North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad, during which you'll solve linguistic puzzles and "learn about the diversity and consistency of language, while exercising logic skills." Visit https://www.nacloweb.org to learn more and test your abilities via some practice problems.
- Anthropologists
- Archaeologists
- College Professors
- Conservators and Conservation Technicians
- Cultural Advisers
- Demographers
- Economists
- Education Directors and Museum Teachers
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers
- Ethnoscientists
- Foreign Service Officers
- Futurists
- Genealogical Researchers
- Genealogists
- Geographers
- Historians
- Historic Preservationists
- Interpreters
- Lexicographers
- Medical Ethicists
- Political Scientists
- Secondary School Teachers
- Sign Language and Oral Interpreters
- Sociologists
- Statisticians
- Translators