Insights into Language Science: Key Issues in Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics 2500-EN-F-189
This course offers interdisciplinary perspectives on language coming from psychology, linguistics, neurology and computer science, which have the potential to boost students' further academic interests in the fields. The course is a comprehensive overview of critical issues in the study of language including, language characteristics, speech perception and production, rudiments of neurolinguistics and aphasiology, first and second language acquisition.
Moreover, the content of the seminar goes beyond many standard courses in psycholinguistic, as it deals with a variety of currently discussed topics such as animal communication, sign language, neurolinguistic impairments and other phenomena related to language, such as foreign accent syndrome, many of which are not yet fully explained by current theories. Each class will provide coverage of the theoretical perspectives and critical experimental research on the issues under discussion.
As for the form of the instruction, the class will consist of 40-minute lectures delivered by the course teacher intertwined with practical cooperative learning tasks done in small groups (e.g. puzzles, information gap activities) and group discussions.
List of topics and obligatory readings (additionally, students will be also asked to read selected original journal articles):
1. Language characteristics and the world of animal communication. Traxler, Chapter 1: An introduction to language science. pp. 1-17.
Yule, Chapter 2: Animals and human language. pp. 8-19.
2. Studying speech production and speech errors.
Traxler, Chapter 2: Speech production and comprehension. pp. 37-51.
3. Speech Perception - key theories and classical experiments.
Traxler, Chapter 2: Speech production and comprehension. pp. 54-69.
Short Test 1
4. Language and the Brain: Introduction to neurolinguistics.
Yule, Chapter 13: Language and the brain. pp.137-148.
5. What is said is not always what is meant: The role of pragmatics in communication; metaphor and non-literal language processing.
Traxler, Chapter 7: Non-literal Language processing. pp. 267-290.
Yule, Chapter 11: Pragmatics. pp. 112-123. Home Assignment
6. Exploring First Language Acquisition: Introduction.
Traxler, Chapter 9: Language development in infancy and early childhood. pp. 325-359.
Yule, Chapter 14: First Language Acquisition. pp.
Short Test 2
7. Sign Language as a full-fledged linguistic system.
Traxler, Chapter 12: Sign Language. pp. 447-469.
Yule, Chapter 16: Gestures and sign language. pp. 172-181.
8. FINAL TEST
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
In terms of academic knowledge:
- gaining comprehensive academic knowledge of key psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic concepts and theories
In terms of academic skills:
- ability to critically review experimental research on psycholinguistic phenomena
- ability to contribute to an academic discussion on psycho- and neurolinguistic issues
- ability to plan a simple psycholinguistic experiment
Assessment criteria
The final test will constitute 70% of the final grade.
The short tests (classes 3 and 6) will constitute 20% of the final grade
(10% each test).
The remaining 10% will be awarded for a short home assignment
based on Topic 5.
Additionally a student may be awarded extra points added to the final
test score for exceptionally valuable contributions throughout the
course (about 5% of the maximum score in the test).
Attendance rules
1 unexcused absence is allowed. The overall number of absences
(whether excused or unexcused) cannot exceed 3.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: