33000 THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
98	33000 	S2  	X 	THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE    	1.00

Contents

• Staffing
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Recommended References
• Student Workload
• Assessment Details
• Other Requirements

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

To  be  able to teach languages, instructors need to be aware of  what
language  is, how it can be described in terms of phonology, semantics
and  syntax, and how the meaning potential of language is realised  in
actual  usage. Students also need to be aware of some recent  theories
of language.

This  unit  will introduce the students to the structure of  language,
the  notion  of  meaning  being carried at the  levels  of  phonology,
semantics,  syntax  and  pragmatics. It will discuss  the  social  and
cultural  correlates  of  language use. The  unit  will  also  briefly
discuss a number of theories of language.

SYNOPSIS:

To  be  able to teach languages, instructors need to be aware of  what
language  is, how it can be described in terms of phonology, semantics
and  syntax, and how the meaning potential of language is realised  in
actual  usage. Students also need to be aware of some recent  theories
of language.

This  unit  will introduce the students to the structure of  language,
the  notion  of  meaning  being carried at the  levels  of  phonology,
semantics,  syntax  and  pragmatics. It will discuss  the  social  and
cultural  correlates  of  language use. The  unit  will  also  briefly
discuss a number of theories of language.

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the unit students will show an understanding of:

1. the complex interelations between phonology, semantics, syntax
   and pragmatics in the production of meaning by discussing
   these relationships and giving concrete examples of them;
   
2. systemic linguistics and show an awareness of other theories
   of language;
   
3. the relationships between language, society and culture by
   describing how language varieties and language use are
   intertwined with social and cultural factors.
   

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)

What is language? A general introduction                              10.00
What a language description must do.

The sounds, sound patterns and contrasting sound patterns             15.00
of language.

Semantics - the description of word and sentence  meaning             15.00
(much of the work will be interrelated with #2 above  and
#4 below).

Syntax and grammar.                                                   15.00

A Theory of language: Systemic/functional.                            20.00

Language and society - social dialects, occupation,  age,             15.00
sex, ethnic background.

Language and culture; linguistic determinism.                         5.00

"Englishes" around the world - their status.                          5.00

TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

"The Study of Language" George Yule, Cambridge University Press, 1985

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Directed Study                                	96
Private Study                                 	50
Examinations                                  	3
Assessments                                   	25

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S              WK 5      ASSIGNMENT 1 SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS       10.00     Y
2   S              WK 10     ASSIGNMENT 2 (1500-2000 WORD ESSAY)       15.00     Y
3   S              WK 14     ASSIGNMENT 3 (1500-2000 WORD ESSAY)       15.00     Y
4   S              PASSIM    JOURNAL KEEPING                           10.00     N
5   S              END S2    3 HOUR EXAMINATION                        50.00     N

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    Over  the three assignments and journal keeping students will  be
     expected to achieve at least half the marks.
2    Students must submit all three assignments.
3    To pass, students must achieve an overall mark of 60%.