Module Identifier |
ED10310 |
Module Title |
THE DESIGN OF HUMAN LANGUAGE |
Academic Year |
2003/2004 |
Co-ordinator |
Mr Robert Morris Jones |
Semester |
Semester 2 |
Course delivery |
Lecture | 10 Hours |
|
Seminars / Tutorials | Tutorial. Every fortnight. |
Assessment |
Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
Semester Exam | 2 Hours Written exam. | 60% |
Semester Assessment | Continuous Assessment: Assignment of 2, 000 words | 40% |
|
Further details |
http://www.aber.ac.uk/education/Undgrad/Modsae/Ed10310/ed10310.html |
Learning outcomes
At the end of this module, students should:
-
have developed an introductory understanding of linguistic structure on a descriptive level;
-
have become aware of the principles and methods of descriptive linguistics;
-
be able to apply all of the above to debates on language issues, especially in Education.
Brief description
This module provides a general introduction on a descriptive level to the
main design features of human language. It complements modules in other
departments on language and/or literature, sociolinguistics and
computational linguistics. It makes students aware of basic concepts of
descriptive analysis which are relevant to more advanced and specialized
modules at levels 2 and 3.
Aims
-
To promote an understanding of linguistic structure on a descriptive level.
-
To promote an understanding of the methods and principles of descriptive linguistic analysis.
-
To provide opportunities to practice and develop analytic skills.
-
To encourage the application of all of the above in debates on language issues in general but especially in Education.
Content
Lectures are based on the following topics:
-
Language and knowledge of language
-
Accents and their sounds
-
Over the segments
-
Writing systems
-
Words and their classes
-
Combining words: phrases, sentences and linguistic creativity
-
Words and their meanings
-
Meaning and the wider context of language
-
Variation in linguistic structure
-
Human language and animal communication
Tutorials provide students with the opportunity to apply the principles and methods which are introduced in the lectures:
-
to additional data,
-
to issues relating to language, especially in Education.
Reading Lists
Books
Atkinson, Martin et al (1988) Foundations Of General Linguistics
2. Allen & Unwin
Lyons, John (1981) Language and Linguistics
Cambridge: CUP
O'Grady, William , Michael Dobrovolsky, and Francis Katamba (editors) (1997) Contemporary Linguistics: an introduction
London; New York: Longman
Trask, R.L. (1995) Language: the basics,
London: Routledge
Yule, George (1996) The Study of Language
2nd. Cambridge: CUP
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4