Need Help Coming Up With an Undergraduate Thesis Topic (D.E.S.P.E.R.A.T.E.)
Hi, everyone!
I'm currently an undergraduate student taking up a Bachelor of Arts in English Language in the Philippines, and I'm having a difficult time settling on a thesis topic. I've gone through several ideas already, but either they're too broad, not feasible for an undergraduate study, or very saturated.
Out of all the ideas I’ve come up with, these two remained:
The untranslatability of Filipino words into English—exploring culturally bound words and concepts that lose meaning when translated.
The semantic evolution of trauma-, violence-, and mental health-related terms in Filipino online discourse—how these words have changed in meaning over time, particularly on social media.
I'm interested in both topics, but I'm still unsure whether they're strong enough or if there are better directions I could take.
I'm hoping for a study that's original, relevant, and manageable within the scope of an undergraduate thesis. I also want it to have enough existing literature while still contributing something meaningful.
If you've written a linguistics thesis before, are currently studying English/Applied Linguistics, or simply have interesting research ideas, I'd really appreciate your suggestions. Even if it's just a broad area or a research question, I'd love to hear it.
Thank you so much! I'm honestly at the stage where I just need fresh perspectives.