Students

LING110 – Language: Its Structure and Use

2013 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Other Staff
Jennifer Peck
Contact via jennifer.peck@mq.edu.au
Unit Convenor
Sue Spinks
Contact via sue.spinks@mq.edu.au
C5A 517
Friday 11am-1pm
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit examines how languages are structured and how people use language. Aspects of linguistic theory covered include study of sounds and sound systems (phonetics and phonology), the structure of words (morphology), and sentence patterns (syntax). Linguistic theory is presented with a focus on English, but students analyse data from a range of the world's languages. Other areas of linguistic study that are introduced include language in the brain, psycholinguistics and child language acquisition.
Language use in everyday conversation is examined, along with issues such as language change, standardisation of language, concepts of linguistic 'correctness', and how different groups use language to express social and cultural identity. This includes discussion of the talk of women and men, people of different ages and ethnic backgrounds within Australia and elsewhere. Another topic discussed is the way in which social networking, tweeting and texting are bringing about language innovation. The unit provides a thorough grounding for students wishing to further their knowledge of linguistics in higher-level units.

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:

  • Acquire a basic knowledge of several significant linguistic theories
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.
  • Recognise the role of experimental design in linguistics by participating in a departmental research project

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Research Participation 5% All through Session 2
Assignment 1 5% 22/08/2013
Tutorial Worksheets 10% Teaching weeks 2-12
Morphology assignment 10% 02/09/2103 - 09/09/2013
phonetics transcription 10% 03/10/2013
Mini Research Report 25% 24/10/2013
Examination 35% November/December exam period

Research Participation

Due: All through Session 2
Weighting: 5%

Students gain 5% for participation in Dept research


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognise the role of experimental design in linguistics by participating in a departmental research project

Assignment 1

Due: 22/08/2013
Weighting: 5%

This essay task functions as diagnostic tool to be able to advise students who are at academic risk as to the various support systems available on campus.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a basic knowledge of several significant linguistic theories
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues

Tutorial Worksheets

Due: Teaching weeks 2-12
Weighting: 10%

Students will hand in ten tutorial worksheets, from which five will be selected by Unit Convener at the end of semester for grading by tutors.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a basic knowledge of several significant linguistic theories
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Morphology assignment

Due: 02/09/2103 - 09/09/2013
Weighting: 10%

This assignment is an online quizz and is computer marked.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues

phonetics transcription

Due: 03/10/2013
Weighting: 10%

A sound file of a spoken text of Australian English, for which students are asked to write a phonetic transcription.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues

Mini Research Report

Due: 24/10/2013
Weighting: 25%

Students will be given an area relating to sociolinguistics and semantics where they collect their own language data and write a short (1200 words) report on the data.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a basic knowledge of several significant linguistic theories
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Examination

Due: November/December exam period
Weighting: 35%

This exam will include questions based on lectures, tutorials and relevant sections of the textbook.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a basic knowledge of several significant linguistic theories
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Delivery and Resources

The learning and teaching strategies used in this Unit include face-to-face lectures taught by a number of different staff members from linguistics.

There is a set textbook: An introduction to Language,  Australia and New Zealand 7th Edition, 2012, by Fromkin, Rodman, Hyams, Collins, Amberber, Cox

There have been some chages made to the Lecture and Tutorial Schedules compared to the past few years, and the assessment schedule has also changed in the following ways:

1. Five rather than ten worksheets awarded raw marks and the worksheets to be graded.

2. Introduction of a short essay early in semester, to provide formative feedback in case of students at academic risk

3. Introduction of an online orphology quizz

 

Lecture notes, assessment task instructions and other relevant materials are uploaded to the unit ilearn site, and the lectures are recorded, which makes lectures available to students who are unable to attend classes.

Students are expected to attend or listen to all of the lectures in order and as they are delivered. In addition, they are advised to use the recordings to review or revise lectures, especially as the exams draw near. Note that in this unit, much of the lecture material and related learning experience is accumulative, meaning that within the various topic areas one lecture will usually provide necessary knowledge for the next one, as well as for the following week’s tutorial. In addition, the tutorial material is designed for students to practice progressively what has been covered in lectures in the previous week or weeks, so students who do not keep up to date with the lecture material will find themselves at a serious disadvantage in tutorials during the semester.

Students must attend one tutorial a week; 80% attendance at tutorials is a requirement of the unit.

Each week students are expected to study the lecture notes, and come to their tutorial class having read the relevant section in the textbook and having attempted the tutorial preparation as set out each week in the tutorial worksheets posted online.Ten of the tutorial worksheets, beginning with the one for Tutorial 2 in week 3, must be handed in to the tutor at the beginning of class. Five of these will be selected for grading at the end of semester.

 

 

 

Unit Schedule

 

LING110    Lecture Schedule 2013

Week

Date

Tuesday Lecture (12-1pm Lotus Theatre, W6D)

Date

Friday Lecture (1-2pm  Lotus Theatre, W6D)

Tutorial topics

1

July 30

What is Linguistics?

Aug 2

Theories of language

 

2

Aug 6

Sign and language 

Aug 9

Sociolinguistics (variation)

Ideas about language and the study of linguistics?

3

Aug 13

Brain and language

Aug 16

Sociolinguistics (language and culture)

language variation

4

Aug 20

Morphology

Aug 23

Morphology

brain and language

5

Aug 27

Phonetics

Aug 30

Phonetics

morphology

6

Sept 3

Phonetics

Sept 6

Phonology MP

phonetics

7

Sept 10

Phonology

Sept 13

Semantics

phonetics

 

 

Semester Break

Se

 

 

8

Oct 1

Historical Linguistics

Oct 4

Syntax

phonology

9

Oct 8

Syntax

Oct 11

Syntax

syntax

10

Oct 15

Syntax

Oct 18

Syntax

syntax

11

Oct 22

Psycholinguistics

Oct 25

 Text and discourse (gender)

syntax

12

Oct 29

First language acquisition

Nov 1

Second language acquisition

text and discourse

13

Nov 5

World Englishes

Nov 8

Exam revision and wrap up

revision

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at: http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

UniWISE provides:

  • Online learning resources and academic skills workshops http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/
  • Personal assistance with your learning & study related questions.
  • The Learning Help Desk is located in the Library foyer (level 2).
  • Online and on-campus orientation events run by Mentors@Macquarie.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/ses/.

IT Help

If you wish to receive IT help, we would be glad to assist you at http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the university's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students and it outlines what can be done.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.
  • Recognise the role of experimental design in linguistics by participating in a departmental research project

Assessment task

  • Mini Research Report

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Research Participation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Acquire a basic knowledge of several significant linguistic theories
  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.
  • Recognise the role of experimental design in linguistics by participating in a departmental research project

Assessment tasks

  • Research Participation
  • Assignment 1
  • Tutorial Worksheets
  • Morphology assignment
  • phonetics transcription
  • Mini Research Report
  • Examination

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Tutorial Worksheets
  • Morphology assignment
  • phonetics transcription
  • Mini Research Report
  • Examination

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Worksheets
  • Morphology assignment
  • Mini Research Report

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial Worksheets
  • Morphology assignment
  • Mini Research Report

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate understanding of core areas of linguistics: syntax, phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, sociolinguistics
  • Analyse structural units of language relevant to the various levels of linguistic organisation. These analyses will include tasks in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Tutorial Worksheets
  • Mini Research Report
  • Examination

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Identify, collect, describe and examine language data to engage with theoretical linguistic issues
  • Identify relationships between language and social life.
  • Recognise the role of experimental design in linguistics by participating in a departmental research project

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Identify relationships between language and social life.

Assessment task

  • Research Participation