Week 1: Language and Linguistics

• Carefully read Chapter 1 from our main textbook, An Introduction to Language, pp. 3-28.  Take notes while reading, so you can bring along your questions and any points unclear to you to the next class meeting. 

• Attempt to do the exercises, pp. 30-32.  Do not get discouraged over any difficult point, bring your doubts to the next class.

• Participate in the class discussion of the chapter's contents and the exercises.  Make sure that you understand the material.  Ask again if you still have doubts.  Once you can do the exercises, type them as a Microsoft Word or any other word processing document and save it into a floppy or a USB. 

• Review the material with the help of the chapter's summary, pp. 28-29.  Remember that there is a detailed Glossary of linguistic terms at the end of the textbook, pp. 573-598.  Index, pp. 599-620. can also be of much help when looking for a discussion of a specific item or a topic across the textbook and within each chapter.  Given that chapters are rather long, you will find both the Glossary and Index particularly useful when reviewing each chapter.

• Submit online your homework, the exercises to this chapter.  To do so, click here, select Homework from the menu on the left, then select Chapter 1 Homework Submission and follow the instructions.

• After the homework deadline has passed, you can check the correct answers by clicking here, selecting Tools from the menu on the left, selecting View Grades, and checking the file returned to you by the instructor.

• Extra credit additional study:  Go and explore the related Internet sites below.  Summarize them and show it to the instructor.  Focus on how the sites expand on the information found in the textbook.

Linguistic Universals

Animal Language

Competence and Performance

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