Can some linguist look at the motivation in my sop?

[minoreltayeb]

Salam everyone. I'm applying to Linguistics MA programs in Europe that don't require previous coursework in linguistics. I'm guessing that since these are programs that can tailor for students with no prior linguistics coursework, they probably don't require a clear expression of research interests in the sop.

So, I discuss linguistics at a very basic level but I still need someone who knows something about linguistics to go over the motivation part so as to reassure me that it doesn't contain egregious errors regarding my understanding of Linguistics.Thanks.

... these frontiers inform us of not only where one language is spoken and another is not but rather of the points of demarcation between two out of five of Africa's major language families: Afro-asiatic and Nilo- Saharan. What are the best representations of these frontiers and how should we evaluate the genetic relationships between the languages therein and other languages from the same phyla in countries neighboring Sudan? How can we account for the many words of apparent Berber (Afro-asiatic) origin in Nobiin (Nilo-Saharan)? And, finally, was Meroitic probably Afro-asiatic or probably Nilo-Saharan? These questions express a few of my interests.

 

...Of course an inquiring spirit is not sufficient for the success of a linguist. I must also equip myself with the necessary tools so as to ask the right questions and set about answering them properly. To this effect - and since I did not have the opportunity to study linguistics formally up till now - I have had to educate myself on the rudiments of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and historical linguistics using undergraduate texts and online material. However, I am nonetheless aware that before I can discuss my interests and ideas competently I must undergo formal and rigorous training in linguistics. Firstly, I must develop a deep understanding of the core aspects of linguistics, and secondly, I must prime myself on linguistic research.

 

...Given my strong background in mathematics, I am naturally partial towards quantitative research methods. I am favored in this regard because of the fact that Mass Lexical Comparison which is so key to Historical/Comparative Linguistics can be implemented very effectively through quantitative methods. In order to capitalise on this happy circumstance I have invested great time and effort familiarising myself with the programming language python through excellent open course ware material available through MIT.

 

...Well? Any conceptual errors?