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LING7701 – Modern Theories of Linguistics in the History of Human Sciences

2022 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Annabelle Lukin
annabelle.lukin@mq.edu.au
Maria Herke
maria.herke@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Language, along with the night sky and the 'signs' of illness, has been one of the longest studied objects of human enquiry. This unit examines the contemporary theories produced in that sustained human effort. In particular, we investigate the claims that twentieth century linguistics makes to being a science; and we look closely at the current ways in which linguistic theories are extended by the techniques of twenty-first century sciences: genetics and evolutionary theory; language corpora; neurosciences and medicine; complexity and computational modelling; and electronic translation tools. The unit gives prominence to scholars concerned with the special conditions that pertain to the study of sign systems, of syntax, and of meaning: for example, Saussure; Chomsky; and various theorists across disciplines who offer methodical accounts for the study of meaning. Students in the unit can choose a strand of specialisation in their readings and assignments: one can choose by the level of language (from phonetics up to context), by the orientation to theory (eg, functionalist, structuralist, generative, or other), and by era (1900-1950, 1950- 2010, or classical and other). All students will be encouraged to place their own research interests in the context of historical developments in the subject.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Understand selected key linguistic theories in their historical context, and in relation to the motivations of the communities of scholars responsible for their development
  • ULO2: Describe the distinguishing concepts of major linguistic theories and theorists
  • ULO3: Present and evaluate claims and assumptions of different linguistic theories
  • ULO4: Understand and relate forms of evidence to different kinds of linguistic theory
  • ULO5: Explain the ramifications of linguistic theory for other forms of intellectual enquiry, in particular how linguistics plays a role in the direction of the human sciences
  • ULO6: Construct clear and cogent arguments about how linguistics may develop in the particular sub-discipline most relevant to your domain

General Assessment Information

Requesting an extension to assignment due date

On occasion, you may be in a situation when you aren't able to submit an assessment task on time. Extensions are only given in special circumstances, by completing a Special Consideration request. For more information on Special Consideration, see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration  

Late submission of assignments

If you haven't been approved for an extension and you submit your assessment task late, penalties are applied. You should consult your unit convenor if you are in this position. Late submissions will receive a 5% per day penalty. If you submit the assessment task 10 days or more beyond the due date, without an approved extension, you will be awarded a maximum of 50% of the overall assessment marks. Weekends and public holidays are included.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Short profile 20% No 22/04/22
Seminar participation 20% No Ongoing
Seminar presentation 20% No Students choose date
Major essay 40% No 03/06/22

Short profile

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 16 hours
Due: 22/04/22
Weighting: 20%

Written profile on a key theory/school, its major conceptual contributions and its mode of argumentation (1500 words)
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand selected key linguistic theories in their historical context, and in relation to the motivations of the communities of scholars responsible for their development
  • Describe the distinguishing concepts of major linguistic theories and theorists
  • Present and evaluate claims and assumptions of different linguistic theories
  • Understand and relate forms of evidence to different kinds of linguistic theory

Seminar participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 39 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%

Weekly preparation for seminar and contributions to discussion
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand selected key linguistic theories in their historical context, and in relation to the motivations of the communities of scholars responsible for their development
  • Describe the distinguishing concepts of major linguistic theories and theorists

Seminar presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 16 hours
Due: Students choose date
Weighting: 20%

Individual presentation on a key theory/school, its major conceptual contributions and its mode of argumentation (min 5mins - max 10mins)
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand selected key linguistic theories in their historical context, and in relation to the motivations of the communities of scholars responsible for their development
  • Describe the distinguishing concepts of major linguistic theories and theorists
  • Understand and relate forms of evidence to different kinds of linguistic theory

Major essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 03/06/22
Weighting: 40%

Essay presentation on a key theory/theorists of 20th century linguistics (3000 words)
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand selected key linguistic theories in their historical context, and in relation to the motivations of the communities of scholars responsible for their development
  • Describe the distinguishing concepts of major linguistic theories and theorists
  • Present and evaluate claims and assumptions of different linguistic theories
  • Understand and relate forms of evidence to different kinds of linguistic theory
  • Explain the ramifications of linguistic theory for other forms of intellectual enquiry, in particular how linguistics plays a role in the direction of the human sciences
  • Construct clear and cogent arguments about how linguistics may develop in the particular sub-discipline most relevant to your domain

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

This unit is delivered via a weekly 3 hours seminar, with input from a range of staff across the Department. Readings are available through the iLearn site.

Unit Schedule

DRAFT SCHEDULE: 

            

Week/

Presenter

Topic

1

A/Prof David Butt and A/Prof Annabelle Lukin

Pre-modern to modern theories: What concepts do we need to describe a language? Are these sufficient for the description of language as a phenomenon?

 

Readings:

Van Valin Jnr, R.D. and La Polla, R.J. 1997. Syntax: Structure, Meaning, and Function, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Uni. Press. [Chapter 1: The goals of linguistic theory, pp 1-16].

2

A/Prof David Butt

From pre-modern to post-modern approaches to the linguistic sign.

 

Readings:

de Saussure, F. (1974). Course in General Linguistics (W. B. Baskin, Trans.). London: Fontana/Collins. [Part II: Synchronic Linguistics, pp 101-127].

 

Harris, R., and Taylor, T.J. 1997. Landmarks in Linguistic Thought I: The Western Tradition from Socrates to Saussure. 2nd Ed. London and New York: Routledge

[Ch.2 Aristotle on Metaphor, pp 20-35].

3

A/Prof David Butt

Language change, evolution and variation

 

Readings:

Sapir, E. (1970). Language. An Introduction to the Study of Speech. London: Rupert Hart-Davis. [Chapter 7: Language as a historical product: Drift, pp 147-170].

 

Joseph, J.E.; Love, N.; Taylor, T.J. (2001) Landmarks in Linguistic Thought II: The Western Tradition in the Twentieth Century. London and New York: Routledge. [Ch.1 Sapir on language, culture and personality, pp 1-16].

 

Matthiessen, C.M.I.M. 2004. Descriptive Motifs and Generalizations. In Cafferel, A, et. al (eds). Language Typology: a Functional Perspective, pp 637-673. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

4

A/Prof David Butt and Dr Iain Giblin

Theories of syntax and meaning: a first survey from classical to contemporary eras.

 

Readings:

Allan, Keith, 2010. The Western Classical Tradition in Linguistics: London: Equinox. [Ch 6: Appolonius and Priscian, the great grammarians among the ancients, pp 101-127].

 

Chomsky. N. 1965. Aspects of a Theory of Syntax. Cambridge Massachusetts: MIT Press. [Ch1: Methodological Preliminaries pp 3-62].

 

Janson, T. (2004) A Natural History of Latin: The story of the world’s most successful language. Oxford UK: Oxford Uni. Press. [Part III: About the Grammar pp 179-211].

 

Winograd, T. Language as Cognitive Process 1: Syntax. Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. [Appendix B: An Outline of English Syntax, pp 465-549].

5 A/Prof Annabelle Lukin

Language and thinking: paradigms in linguistic theory

 

Readings:

Whorf. B. L. 1936. The Relation of Habitual Thought and Behaviour to Language. Language, Thought and Reality. Cambridge Massachusetts: MIT Press. pp 134-159.

 

Ellis, J.M. (1993) Language, Thought, and Logic. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press. [Ch.5: Language and Thought, pp 55-66].

 

Geeraerts, D and Cuyckens. 2007. Introducing Cognitive Linguistics. In Geeraerts, D and Cuyckens (eds),  Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics pp 3-21. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

6 A/Prof Annabelle Lukin

 

The study of language in relation to context

 

Readings:

Malinowski, B. (1923). The problem of meaning in primitive languages. In C. K. Ogden & I. A. Richards (Eds.), The Meaning of Meaning. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co. pp 296-336.

 

Hasan, R. (2016). Wherefore context?: The ontogenesis of meaning exchange. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), Context in the System and Process of Language. Volume 4 in the Collected Works of Ruqaiya Hasan (pp. 95-126). London: Equinox.

7

Dr Scott Barnes

Approaches to interaction: conversation analysis

 

Readings:

Enfield, N.J., Sidnell, J. 2017. On the concept of action in the study of interaction. Discourse Studies. Vol 19 (5) 515-535.

 

Maynard, D. W. 2013. Everyone and no-one to turn to: Intellectual roots and contexts for conversation analysis. In J. Sidnell & T. Stivers (Eds.), The Handbook of Conversation Analysis, pp. 11-31. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

 

Mazeland, H. 2013. Grammar in conversation. In J. Sidnell & T. Stivers (Eds.), The Handbook of Conversation Analysis, pp 475-491. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

 

MID SEMESTER RECESS

8

Dr Mike Proctor

 

Theories and Approaches to Sound Structure in Language

Readings:

TBC

 

9

Dr Loy Lising

On sociolinguistics

Readings:

TBC

10

 (TBC)

Genetic relationships between languages: typological findings and debating language universals

 

Readings:

Comrie, Bernard. 1989. Language Universals and Linguistic Typology. 2nd Edition. Basil Blackwell: Oxford. [Chapter 2: Language Typology pp 30-50].

 

Matthiessen, C.M.I.M. 2004. Descriptive motifs and generalizations. In Cafferel, A, et. Al (eds). Language Typology: a Functional Perspective. Amsterdam: Benjamins. pp 637-673.

11

A/Prof Annabelle Lukin

The study of ideology in linguistics and the human sciences

 

Readings:

 

V. S. Volosinov. 1973 [1929]. Marxism and the Philosophy of Language. New York: Seminar Press. [Chapters 1-2, pp 9-24]

van Dijk, T. (1998). Ideology: A Multidisciplinary Approach. London: Sage. [Introduction: pp 1-14]

Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (2016). Methods of Critical Discourse Studies, Third Edition. London: Sage. [Chapter 1: Critical Discourse Studies: history, agenda, theory and methodology, pp1-22].

12

A/Prof Annabelle Lukin

Pedagogical Grammars in the History of Linguistics and the Human Sciences

 

Readings:

Luhtala, Anneli. 2013. Pedagogical Grammars before the Eighteenth Century. In Allan, Keith (ed). The Oxford Handbook of the History of Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chapter 14 pp 341-358]

 

Hasan, R. (2011). Literacy, everyday talk and society. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), Language and Education: Learning and Teaching in Society. Volume 3 in the Collected Works of Ruqaiya Hasan, pp 169-206. London: Equinox.

 

NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum: English K-10

13

A/Prof Annabelle Lukin

The History of Corpus Linguistics

 

Readings:

McEnery, T and Hardie, A. 2013. “The History of Corpus Linguistics”.

In Allan, Keith (ed). The Oxford Handbook of the History of Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chapter 33 pp 727-746].

 

 

 

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Unit information based on version 2022.02 of the Handbook