Linguist:
* Focus: Studies the structure, history, and evolution of languages.
* Expertise: Deep understanding of language theory, phonetics, syntax, semantics, morphology, sociolinguistics, etc.
* Skills: Analyzing languages, conducting research, developing language models, teaching linguistics, working in language translation or interpretation.
* Example: A linguist might research the origins of a specific language family or create a dictionary of a rare language.
Polyglot:
* Focus: Speaks multiple languages fluently.
* Expertise: Proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing multiple languages.
* Skills: Communication in various languages, cultural understanding, potential for translation or interpretation.
* Example: Someone who speaks English, French, Spanish, and Mandarin.
In Summary:
* A linguist is a scientist who studies language.
* A polyglot is someone who speaks multiple languages.
While a polyglot might have a natural aptitude for language, it's not necessarily a requirement to be a linguist. Similarly, a linguist might not be fluent in many languages, but they have a deep understanding of how languages work.