Course Syllabus
LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
PDF
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Code
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LING1101
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Title
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Fundamentals of Linguistics
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Credits
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3
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Description
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Language is a fundamental part of our lives - yet what is it exactly, and how does it really work? This course will help students go beyond a surface understanding of language in order to understand the complexity, diversity and beauty of human language. We will be introduced to major topics in linguistics in order to perform our own analyses of language; these will include phonetics/phonology (sounds of language), morphology (parts of words), syntax (grammar), semantics (meaning), and pragmatics (language in context). We will examine data from a variety of languages to help us understand the wide variety of languages in the world and will develop our abilities to analyze real examples of language.
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Objectives
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This course intends to:
- introduce students to major concepts, terms and theories in the study of linguistics
- familiarize students with the diversity of language systems
- enable students to carry out basic linguistic analysis
- prepare students to describe and analyze language as a basis for future teaching and research
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Outcomes
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By the completion of the course, successful students should be able to do the following:
· Define and explain major concepts, terms and theories in linguistics
· Apply the concepts covered in the course to analyze real linguistic data in terms of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
· Work both independently and in teams to construct a detailed and logical invented language, applying real linguistic phenomena and combining them in appropriate ways
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Assessment
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60 % -first and second assessments
40 % -final assessment
- Tentative course outline
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Week1
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Introduction to linguistics; course overview
Basic concepts: What is language?
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Week2
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More basics: Linguistic diversity, analyzing language
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Week3
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The sounds of language: Phonetics I
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Week4
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The sounds of language: Phonetics II, Phonology I
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Week5
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The sounds of language: Phonology II
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Week6
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Putting words together: Morphology I
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Week7
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Putting words together: Morphology II and review (Midterm 1 - Test)
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Week8
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Words and sentences: Syntax I
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Week9
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Words and sentences: Syntax II
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Week10
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Making meaning: Semantics
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Week11
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Meaning in context: Pragmatics (Midterm 2 - Test)
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Week12
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Semantics and Pragmatics
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Week13
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Additional topics according to class preference. Possible topics: Language acquisition, writing systems, language in contact, sociolinguistics, humans and animals, historical linguistics
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Week14
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Class presentations
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Week15
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Course review (Final test)