Department of Linguistics and Translation, City University of Hong Kong

The Department of Linguistics and Translation at City University of Hong Kong offers an inspiring environment for advanced study in linguistics, translation (as well as interpretation and audio description), and intercultural communication. Located in Hong Kong, an international metropolis shaped by multilingual exchange and cross-cultural connections, the Department provides students with a distinctive opportunity to explore language as both an academic discipline and a practical professional resource.

Consistently ranked among the best in the world, our postgraduate programmes are designed for students who wish to deepen their knowledge, strengthen their analytical skills, and engage with real-world language applications in education, technology, media, translation, and society. Students learn from a diverse, international faculty whose expertise spans psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, sociolinguistics, pedagogical linguistics, phonetics and phonology, morphology and syntax, meaning and discourse analysis, translation studies, multilingualism, corpus linguistics, computational linguistics, and language technology. Our teaching is strongly integrated with our research and our professional experience, enabling students to pursue both intellectual development and professional growth.

The Department supports students undertaking taught postgraduate study as well as advanced research training. Our MA pathways help students build a solid foundation of disciplinary knowledge and professional competence, while our research degree opportunities, including the PhD, provide a rigorous setting for original scientific inquiry, close academic mentorship, and thoughtful scholarly development. Across all our programmes, we encourage critical thinking, effective communication, and an appreciation of language and its applications in diverse cultural and social contexts.

We welcome creative and motivated students from around the world who are interested in understanding how language works, how meaning is negotiated across cultures, and how expertise in language, linguistics, and translation can make a difference in a rapidly changing world. We believe language systems are the most important infrastructure we need to build a better world, and linguistics is the key to understand these most valuable assets of ours and put them to good use. Please explore our website and contact us to learn more!

Language and Cognition Laboratory

State-of-the-art research facilities for studying language and language-related abilities in humans.

Phonetics Laboratory

Provides research tools for facilitating projects and courses in phonetics offered by the department.

Simultaneous Interpretation Laboratory

A multipurpose laboratory for professional training in interpretation and language learning.

Room Booking Calendar

Book meeting rooms, labs, booths, and other facilities.

Unique Features of LT

What makes linguistics and translation at CityUHK unique?

At City University of Hong Kong, we view language as a dynamic and multifaceted system deeply connected to cognition, culture, and society. Our research-driven approach positions CityUHK as a global leader in modern linguistic studies, fostering an innovative and interdisciplinary environment where cutting-edge scholarship meets real-world impact.

Our department thrives on four key pillars: collaboration, breadth, application, and innovation. These principles guide our research and teaching, ensuring that students and scholars engage with language in meaningful and transformative ways.

Collaboration: Bridging disciplinary boundaries

Language does not exist in isolation. Our research integrates insights from diverse fields—including cognitive science, artificial intelligence, sociology, psychology, and media studies—to develop a genuinely interdisciplinary understanding of language. This open approach enables us to push the boundaries of linguistic research and its applications.

Breadth: Embracing theoretical diversity

We take a broad and integrative approach to linguistic theory, combining formal and functional frameworks to explore both general and experimental linguistics. Our research spans psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, shedding light on how language is processed in the mind and brain. We also investigate linguistic complexity across discourse, semantics, syntax, morphology, phonetics and phonology, while developing empirical resources, such as multilingual corpora and learner databases, that support intelligent linguistic applications.

Application: Making real-world impact

Situated at the intersection of Cantonese, Mandarin and English, Hong Kong provides a unique sociolinguistic environment that positions CityUHK at the forefront of applied linguistics. Our research has far-reaching implications in fields such as translation, language education, forensic linguistics, and AI-driven language technologies. Through these practical applications, we address critical linguistic challenges and contribute to the advancement of global communication and multilingual understanding.

Innovation: Advancing the future of language research

Our undergraduate and postgraduate studies provide a rich interdisciplinary experience that connects theory with practical applications. With particular strengths in psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, and computational linguistics, our courses reflect the evolving landscape of language research in the digital and cognitive age. Students explore how language functions in the mind and brain, employing data-driven and technology-enhanced approaches to linguistic analysis. Whether applying experimental methods, working with large-scale corpora, or tackling challenges in translation and cross-cultural communication, students develop essential skills to navigate today’s complex linguistic environments and to make a meaningful impact in their professional careers.