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This is an introductory course in linguistics. It introduces the students to the basic areas of linguistic study: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexical and syntactic semantics. The course discusses the current state of knowledge in the areas of neurolinguistics and psycholinguistics. Next it compares the human speech production and perception with the computer language processing. Finally the branches of linguistics are discussed that place individual language users in their societies: linguistic pragmatics, sociolinguistics, diachronic linguistics, and language acquisition. By the end of the course the students will be able to read and understand linguistic materials on language variety, structure and development. They will also be able to use linguistic analysis in solving language problems and answering questions about English, Spanish, and other natural languages.
The standard text:
Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman, Nina Hyams. An Introduction to Language. Boston: Wadsworth, 2003.
Relevant selections from other sources:
Akmajian, Adrian and Richard A. Demers. 1995. Linguistics. An introduction to language and communication. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Robins, R.H. 1991. General Linguistics. London and New York: Longman.
Crystal, David. 1987. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Katamba, Francis. 1995. An introduction to phonology. White Plains: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
Relevant links on the Internet, providing additional information and practice in each area of linguistics.
Week 1: Language and Linguistics.
Week 2: Language in the Brain.
Week 3: Words. Quiz.
Week 4: Sentence Patterns.
Week 5: Meanings.
Week 6: Sounds. Quiz.
Week 7: Sound Patterns.
Week 8: Review and the Midterm.
Week 9: Language Acquisition.
Week 10: Language Processing by Humans and Computers.
Week 11: Language Variety.
Week 12: Language Change in Time.
Week 13: Written Language. Quiz.
Week 14: Final review and work on the final research project.
Week 15: Students' oral reports. Course Survey.
The deadline for the final written report will be the time and the day of the final exam.
Course Policies and Requirements:
Attendance in classes is mandatory. More than three unexcused absences will result in the final grade being lowered once (for 4 absences) or twice (for 5 absences). With 6 unexcused absences the student may fail the course. Those absent due to a true emergency are responsible for finding out about the material they have missed and making up for it (reading, assignments, exercises, etc.). Attendance at the quizzes, the midterm exam, and the presentations is mandatory. Only those with a legitimate and verifiable excuse can take a make-up. The make-up has to take place within two weeks from the missed class.
All assignments are to be given when due: late work without a legitimate excuse will result in reduced evaluation (5% less for each working day the assignment is late).
Receiving cell phone calls during class is not allowed. If a student anticipates an important emergency call, he/she must notify the instructor about it in advance.
1. Active participation in class ............................ 10 %
2. Homework turned in on time .......................... 25%
3. Quizzes to individual chapters ......................... 15 %.
4. Midterm ......................................................... 20%.
5. Oral report on the final project ........................ 15 %
6. Final written research project .......................... 15 %.
The standard curve will be used: 100-90% = A; 89-80% = B; 79-70% = C; 69-60% = D; 59% or less = F. Students can follow their individual progress in the course by logging onto the INGL 3225 Assessment and Evaluation Component on the College Blackboard platform and going to the View Grades individual student page, accessible from the Tools area.