The main goal of linguistics, like all other intellectual disciplines, is to increase our knowledge and understanding of the world. Since language is universal and fundamental to all human interactions, the knowledge attained in linguistics has many practical applications. Linguists, with some training in other appropriate disciplines, are thus prepared to seek answers to questions such as: …How can a previously unstudied language be analyzed and written? …How can foreign languages best be taught and learned? …How can speech be synthesized on a computer or how can a computer be programmed to understand human speech? …How can the language problems of people with speech abnormalities be analyzed and rectified? …How are linguistic issues in legal matters to be handled? …etc.