What is the subject matter of linguistics?

• A. Computer language and animal language
• B. Sign language
• C. Human spoken or signed natural language
• D. Written language only

Answer: (C)

Linguistics studies how humans use language, focusing on human spoken or signed natural language as the central subject. This means the systems of sounds or signs, word formation, sentence structure, and how meaning is built and interpreted in real communication. Sign languages are included because they are full natural languages with their own grammar and rules, just expressed visually rather than spoken. Written language is not the only focus—it's a way language is recorded and studied, but the core interest is human language as it exists in speech and sign. Computer languages and animal communication fall outside the primary scope, since they are not human natural languages, though related subfields explore overlaps and applications.