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Linguistics

Stage I

Introduction to Linguistics

An introduction to the main areas of linguistics: the production and function of sounds in language (phonetics and phonology), word structure and word formation (morphology), the principles of grammar through a study of sentence structure (syntax), and various aspects of meaning (semantics). The course is a self-contained introduction and assumes no prior knowledge of linguistics or language study.

Restriction: 175.106, LINGUIST 103

Language and Society

Language in its social and cultural context. Topics may include language variation, language and gender, language and social identity, language contact, language in the media, language maintenance.

Languages of the Pacific

An introduction to the linguistics of the Pacific Islands (Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia), Australia and New Guinea. The topics covered include: principles of historical change, the social use of language, oral literature and the organisation of linguistic systems of sound, meaning and grammar. Pidgins and Creoles are explored, as is the interaction of language with cultural institutions and conceptual systems.

Introduction to English Linguistics

An introduction to the core areas of language study. Topics include: how sounds are produced, the basic structure of the English sound system, primary word formation processes in English, the rules for English sentence structure, and the fundamentals of word meaning. This course serves as an entry point into Stage II Linguistics, and provides an excellent background for students studying languages including English.

Restriction: 175.106, LINGUIST 100

Stage II

Syntax

Continues on from LINGUIST 100 or 103 and consists of a formal and a functional part, providing problems and exercises in syntactic analysis, as well as an introduction to grammatical theories and types of grammatical system.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 100 or 103

Phonetics and Phonology

Includes a survey of speech sounds in the world's languages, an overview of speech production and perception, and an introduction to how these sounds are organised into language. Includes a practical component in which theories are applied to language data.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 100 or 103

Language Change

Introduces long-term historical trends, types of language change, language families and comparative reconstruction.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 100 or 103

Restriction: LINGUIST 308

Applied English Grammar

Covers the different types of sentences in English, with special attention to the relationship between grammar and meaning, tense, aspect and voice; their roles in texts, such as foregrounding, backgrounding and highlighting information, and introducing new information. Students will be shown how to distinguish standard and non-standard varieties of written English, and how to judge if written sentences are effective, appropriate and grammatical.

Prerequisite: Any 15 points at Stage I

Semantics and Pragmatics

An introduction to a wide range of issues of contemporary relevance to the study of meaning. The semantics part includes topics in structural, truth-conditional and cognitive semantics. The pragmatics part covers some of the basic topics in pragmatics.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 100 or 103

Restriction: LINGUIST 302

Stage III

Syntax: Function and Typology

A continuation of the functional-typological part of LINGUIST 200. Examination of selected topics, such as grammatical relations, relative clauses, causatives, complementation, information packaging, typology and universals.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 200

Advanced Phonology

A continuation of LINGUIST 201, introducing a more theoretical approach to phonology including distinctive feature theory, syllable theory, metrical phonology, autosegmental phonology, lexical phonology. Issues are explored in the context of a constraint-based approach to phonology. Includes a practical component in which theories are applied to language data.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 201

Conversational Analysis

An introduction to the close and detailed observation of ordinary conversational interaction. Topics include the interactional nature of conversation, how turn taking and topic selection are organised, the role of narratives in conversation and how they are structured, how conversational repair is organised, how various expressive techniques are utilised, and the ways that conversation is used to accomplish social actions.

Prerequisite: Any 30 points in the BA at Stage II

Child Language Acquisition

Examines the patterns and mechanisms by which children acquire knowledge of their native language and assesses a number of current theories which have been developed to explain the process.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 200 or 201 or 203

Polynesian Comparative Linguistics

Comparative and historical study of the sound systems, grammar, and vocabulary of the Polynesian languages.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 202 or MĀORI 201 or SAMOAN 201 or 202

Language Change

Introduces long-term historical trends, types of language change, language families and comparative reconstruction.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 200 and 201

Restriction: LINGUIST 202

Linguistics Essays Course

Students undertake supervised research.

Prerequisite: Permission of Head of Department

Language Origin and Evolution

Investigates the origin of human language, drawing on a range of evidence and arguments from psychology, anthropology, and primatology. Addresses questions such as when and how language evolved, whether early language was primarily verbal, gestural or both, what aspects of language structure and language capability are innate, and whether language developed gradually or was a sudden mutation.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 200

Lexical Functional Grammar

LFG is a psycho-linguistically based, lexically driven universal grammar in which semantic, syntactic and configurational relationships are analysed as related but partially independent levels of organisation. This makes LFG suited to analysis of languages of all types. LFG is also widely implemented in language synthesis, automatic parsing, SLA and creole studies. Understanding of word classes and constituency is assumed.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 200 or 203

Topics in Pragmatics

Pragmatics is the systematic study of language in use and is a rapidly developing discipline in linguistics. This course will give a critical survey of the central topics and the latest developments of pragmatics. The domain of pragmatics, implicature, presupposition, speech act and deixis will be among the issues dealt with in individual lectures.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 200 or 206

Gender and Language

Surveys recent and classic work in language and gender from a sociolinguistic perspective. It covers issues such as: how the category "gender" has developed over time in sociolinguistics; what the relationship is between gender identities and sexual identities; how the ways we talk and act intersect with non-linguistic behaviour to express gender identities.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 101 or 103 and 30 points at Stage II in Linguistics

Special Topic

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II in Linguistics

Sociolinguistic Variation

Examines the methods and theory behind the study of synchronic language variation and its relationship to diachronic change. Students read a wide range of studies exploring different linguistic variables and apply their understanding of the theory and methods to the extraction and analysis of data from corpora of spontaneous speech that are provided.

Prerequisite: 15 points from LINGUIST 100, 101, 103 and 30 points at Stage II in Linguistics (either LINGUIST 200 or LINGUIST 201 strongly recommended)

Postgraduate 700 Level Courses

Directed Study

Field Methods

Description and analysis of an unfamiliar language, based on data collected by the students. The class meets with a speaker of that language, and data are collected through elicitation and texts. Students analyse the structure of the language, focusing on both phonology and syntax.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 201 and either LINGUIST 300 or 313
To complete this course students must enrol in LINGUIST 707 A and B, or LINGUIST 707

Linguistic Research

An introduction to research methods and practices in Linguistics. The course is intended to develop research skills through a combination of lectures and practicum sessions, and will include the development and completion of a research project.

Fundamentals of Linguistics

A comprehensive survey of current theory in selected topics in Linguistics, especially phonetics/phonology, grammar, semantics, and pragmatics.

Functional-typological Syntax

Cross-linguistic examination of selected topics, such as lexical categories, passives, transitivity, serial verb constructions, head-marking and dependent-marking, and iconicity. Consideration will be given both to differences among languages and to recurrent patterns.

Formal Syntax

Formal theories of syntax, generative grammar, and current topics of interest to students. This could include: LFG, Minimalism, the DP analysis, theories of argument structure, and/or formal models of language processing.

Phonology

A range of topics from the field of non-linear phonology, including autosegmental phonology, syllable theory, feature geometry and CV phonology.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 301

Semantics and Pragmatics

An introduction to logic and an exploration of the interaction between semantics, pragmatics, and grammar. Topics include: event structure, aspect, tense, mood and modality, case and roles, transitivity and information packaging, and contrasts between English and other languages.

Prerequisite: LINGUIST 206 or 302, or equivalent

Language Contact

The influences of languages upon each other through the historical interactions of their speakers. The main points of reference are the syntheses of Weinreich (1953) and Thomason and Kaufman (1988).

Mixed Languages

Language types (pidgins, creoles and 'mixed' or 'intertwined' languages) that are extreme results of language contact. Major topics will include: processes of formation, universalist and substratist theories, and the typology of such languages.

Sociolinguistics: Variation and Change

Overview of major theories and practice in sociolinguistics today. Emphasis on the connections between ongoing variation in the speech community and language change. Issues of individual agency and social construction of identity are discussed as well as different methods for modelling variation and change in society.

Interactional Sociolinguistics

The analysis of small group interaction and the ways it is structured by sociocultural forces, social roles, and personal identity. Cross-cultural differences in conversational behaviour and the influence on language use of patterns of status and solidarity, and institutional demands are approached through an examination of the dynamic processes of talk itself.

Discourse and Grammar

The relationship between grammar and language use in naturally occurring written and spoken language, first in discourse-functional grammar, where analysis focuses on the discourse functions of particular grammatical structures; and secondly in interactional grammar, which investigates the syntax of conversational language, in order to develop a new understanding of the nature of syntax, as shaped by the pressures of interaction.

Historical Linguistics

Current topics in historical linguistics, such as: theories of change in sound systems; syntactic change and syntactic reconstruction; grammaticalisation; distant genetic relationships and comparative methods.

Directed Study

Directed reading and individual study course designed in consultation with appropriate staff according to the field of research.

Special Topic: Grammaticalisation

The following general topics will be covered: nature of grammaticalisation; does grammaticalisation represent a unique type of language change? Directionality of change; sources and targets of changes in grammaticalisation.

Special Topic: Analysing Variation

Students will develop skills and understanding in the methods and theory of language variation. A large part of the course will be devoted to independent research of a variable/variables in existing corpora (available from the department).

Dissertation

To complete this course students must enrol in LINGUIST 790 A and B, or LINGUIST 790

Dissertation

To complete this course students must enrol in LINGUIST 792 A and B, or LINGUIST 792

Thesis

To complete this course students must enrol in LINGUIST 793 A and B

Thesis

To complete this course students must enrol in LINGUIST 796 A and B

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Source: The University of Auckland 2013 Online Calendar
Last updated on: Thursday 1 November 2012
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