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Semester 1

Structure of a Language A (LASC10123)

Subject

Language Sciences and Linguistics

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students should have a background in linguistic theory sufficient to take LEL Honours courses. Courses in the structure of a foreign language (including English) are unlikely to suffice, but this will depend on the circumstances; please consult the Course Organiser if unsure.

Course Summary

This course gives students the chance to acquire in-depth knowledge of the structure of a selected language, expanding their analytical skills and awareness of linguistic diversity. Students will be provided with the support necessary to undertake close grammatical analysis of a range of textual or other kind of material in an unfamiliar language.

Course Description

This course will give students the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge of the structure of a selected language and to build their skills in linguistic analysis and in communicating specialist information to a variety of audiences. Students will be provided with the support and resources that will enable them to engage in the analysis of textual or other kind of material in the target language. Students will be able to develop their understanding of the language's structure and relevant grammatical concepts, and to apply this knowledge as they engage with a varied set of data. Coupled with additional readings, this will enable them to gain an in-depth understanding of the language's structure, as well as to engage, as appropriate, with relevant sociolinguistic, historical, and cultural context as well as the diachronic development of the language. The choice of language will vary from year to year: information will be provided in advance to allow students to make an informed choice. The course will be focused primarily on developing structural understanding rather than practical mastery of the language; students will be required to engage closely with linguistic theory throughout the course. Students should expect a significant independent study component in preparation for the teaching sessions. In any given term, Structure of a Language (B) is the same course as Structure of a Language (A), but students who have already taken (A) in another year are entitled to take it a second time by enrolling in (B). While every year the general learning outcomes are identical, they are applied to a different language, so taking it twice will effectively mean taking two very different courses.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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