World Languages – LING 453
CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 02/01/2024
Course Description
This course is a study of the phonology, morphology, and syntax of a selection of world languages which illustrate both the similarities and the differences among languages. Syntactic and morphological features will be observed in terms of their typological implications and the question of language universals.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
In the final analysis, the study of linguistics is not about any one particular language or even languages per se; it is about the study of human language, about how human language works. And the answer to how human language works lies fundamentally in the study of the similarities and differences among human languages. No program of linguistic studies can be complete until it observes the unity and diversity in human language.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Typology Quizzes (8)
This course includes 8 post-chapter quizzes, which will be given after the completion of each Module: Week. They are designed to assess the student’s understanding of typological characteristics of world languages. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain multiple-choice, true/false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer questions, and have a 30-minute time limit.
World Languages Quizzes (5)
This course includes 5 unit tests based on the text, An Introduction to the Languages of the World. Tests will be given on the various language families of the world, where they are spoken, their general linguistic features, and other relevant facts. Each test will be open-book/open-notes, contain multiple-choice, true/false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer questions, and have a 1-hour time limit.
Grammar Sketch Assignment
The student will develop a description of a language according to a given rubric to include the following aspects:
- A description and illustration of the major syntactic and morphological features of the language
- An account of the grammatical features of the languages in terms of typology
- An account of the unique or different features of the language relative to other languages
The student will write a 7–10-page grammar sketch of a language in current APA format. The paper must include at least 5 references in addition to the course books. A list of languages for the grammar sketch will be provided.
Quiz: World Languages: Final
The World Languages Final Exam will be cumulative, covering the Learn material for all Module: Weeks from the textbook An Introduction to the Languages of the World. The exam will be open-book/open-notes, contain multiple-choice, true/false, and short answer questions, and have a time limit of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
