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Linguistically is an English adverb used to indicate that a statement is to be understood from a linguistic perspective or in relation to language itself. It derives from linguistic, the adjective relating to the study of language, with the suffix -ly forming an adverb. The word is common in scholarly writing and in precise discussion where the analytic frame is explicitly linguistic rather than non-linguistic, such as cultural or cognitive considerations.

It is often used to frame observations about language as being based on linguistic analysis. Examples include: “Linguistically, the data reveal a systematic pattern in vowel harmony.” “From a linguistically informed view, the sentence is ambiguous due to its syntactic structure.” The term signals that the claim rests on linguistic theory, methods, or data.

Contrasts are helpful: “linguistic” is an adjective describing anything related to language or linguistic theory, whereas “linguistically” is the corresponding adverb used to modify verbs, adjectives, or clauses. The usage can vary by subfield; for instance, sociolinguists might emphasize variation across communities, while historical linguists focus on diachronic change, but both may still employ “linguistically” to foreground language-centered analysis.

Limitations include potential vagueness if the specific linguistic framework is not stated. Since language varies across dialects and communities, statements labeled “linguistically” should specify the languages, varieties, or data sets involved. Related topics include linguistics as a discipline; language; phonology, syntax, and morphology; sociolinguistics; computational linguistics.