Introduction to Linguistics and Psycholinguistics

Catalog description

This course provides an introduction to the properties of human languages and to their systematic study in the field of linguistics and psycholinguistics. Topics include the nature of human language as distinct from other communication systems; sound patterns (phonology), word-formation (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), and meaning (semantics) in the world’s languages; relations to cognition, communication, and social organization; dialect variation and language standardization; language learning by children and adults; and the nature and history of writing systems. Intended for any undergraduate and graduate interested in language or its use. It is assumed that students have had no prior course work or exposure to linguistics and will begin with the basic assumptions that are shared by those who study language from a variety of perspectives. Students analyze their own speech patterns, investigate different speech acts in different languages and develop a research project using a linguistic construct in order to apply it to the second language classroom. Students present this project in a poster format to the university community at the end of the semester. A cumulative GPA of 2.75 is required. NOTE: This course is cross-listed with FLE 320 . Students cannot get credit for both FLE 320 and EDU 320 .