Introduction to Linguistics 3200-L1-0WJA
The aim of the course is to present an overview of contemporary linguistics and its basic concepts. During the course, students learn about the components of the language system and relationships between them, and are shown tools and methodologies used for analysing these dimensions.
The first part of the semester discusses the basic levels and units of linguistic analysis, theories regaridng the origins of language, and the unique features of language that distinguish it from other forms of communication. In the second part of the semester, the issues concerning the history of writing and related to computational lingsuitics and natural language processing are discussed. Subsequent lectures are devoted to a discussion of basic concepts in psycholinguistics, theories of language acquisition (first and second language acquisition), historical linguistics, dialectology, sociolinguistics and sign linguistics.
Student workload:
Lecture (contact hours): 30 hours
Self-study: 20 hours
Total: 50 hours
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
The student:
knows the structure of language as a system, has basic knowledge of the position and importance of linguistics and its subdomains (general and applied) in the system of scientific disciplines, and understands their specific nature;
knows the basic terminology in linguistics (general and applied);
understands the complex nature of language and its historical variability;
knows an outline of the main directions of development and the most important new scientific achievements in the field of linguistics (general and applied);
knows and understands the specificity of contemporary paradigms of linguistics (general and applied), has an ordered general knowledge of linguistic theory and methodology;
knows and understands the connections between linguistics and other fields and subfields of science;
has elementary research skills, can formulate research problems and can use research tools of applied linguistics;
can choose appropriate methods to solve problems within linguistics;
is able to properly apply theoretical knowledge in the field of linguistics in typical professional situations, including team projects, also in those of an interdisciplinary character;
is ready to critically assess their own knowledge of linguistics, appreciates the importance of fact-based argumentation in solving research and practical problems (in professional situations).
Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria:
attendance (required to get credit and take exam)
written exam (winter exam session)
Two unexcused absences are allowed. IIf there are more than 50% of absences, the student may not obtain credit for the course, pursuant to the Regulations of Studies.
Exam results: percentages and grades:
99% -100 - 5!
98% - 91% - 5
90% - 86% - 4,5
85% - 76% - 4
75% - 71% - 3.5
70% - 60% - 3
less than 60% - 2
Practical placement
n/a
Bibliography
Primary sources
1. O’Grady, W., J. Archibald, M. Aronoff and J. Rees-Miller, 2017, Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction, Boston/New York: Bedford/St Martin’s.
2. Yule, G. 2020, The Study of Language, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Additional sources:
1. Akmajian, A., R. Demers, A. Farmer and R. Harnish 2001. Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication. (5th edition) MIT Press.
2. Aronoff, M. and J. Rees-Miller (eds) 2001. The Handbook of Linguistics. Blackwell Publishers. Crystal, D. 1987. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language. Cambridge University Press.
3. Crystal, D. 2010. A Little Book of Language. Yale University Press.
4. Fromkin, V., R. Rodman and N. Hyams 2011. An Introduction to Language (9th edition). Wadsworth. Radford,
5. Atkinson, A.M, D. Britain, H. Clahsen and A. Spencer 1999. Linguistics. An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: