This learning unit is not open to incoming exchange students!
Teacher(s)
Language
English
Prerequisites
None
Main themes
- Human language as compared to other communication systems ;
- Levels of linguistic analysis (phonetics-phonology, morphology, lexis, syntax and pragmatics);
- Language universals and the variety of languages
Content
- Week 1 - Introduction to Linguistics: why do (almost) all human beings have a language, and what makes human language different from animal communication systems?
- Week 2 - The study of sound: Phonology and Phonetics: In this module we will delve into what appear to be the smallest building blocks of spoken language: 'sounds'.
- Week 3 - The study of words and sentences: Morphology and Syntax: In this module we will discuss words and sentences.
- Week 4 - The study of meaning: Pragmatics and Semantics: This module deals with a topic which many of you find very interesting: meaning. How do we determine what a word means? To what extent does our language influence our thinking?
- Week 5 - Language in the Brain: This module features all of the well-known parts of the current MOOC.
- Week 6 - Language in the Society: In the previous modules we have dissected the structure of languages, but now we will study language in its real context: how does language change? How do people use language to be polite?
Teaching methods
In order to gain the credits associated to this course, students will:
- follow at their own pace the MOOC available at https://www.coursera.org/learn/human-language
- by the end of the term, send a short report on their learning achievements, identifying, for each chapter of the MOOC, (a) 3 concepts they've learned and for which they will propose a definition and explain why they consider them as important for the understanding of language (b) an concrete example / observation of language use they've found particularly illuminating or thought-provoking.
Evaluation methods
Course evaluation will be based on the report sent by the students at the latest during the last week of courses (S13)
Other information
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Online resources
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Bibliography
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Faculty or entity