Syllabus Introduction to Linguistics: Linguistics 390

Fall 2005 MWF 10:15-11:20, 4 credits

Professor: Dr. Lynn Santelmann

Office: 239 East Hall

Phone: 725-4140, E-mail: santelmannl@pdx.edu

(note: e-mail = last name + FIRST initial)

Office hours: M, W 11:30 - 12:30 or by appt.      

TA: Francesca Monga

Office: 229 East Hall

Phone:725-9198

E-mail: fmonga@pdx.edu

Office hours: M 9-10 AM, Thurs PM TBA

Study Sessions: Tues: 4:30-5:30 pm & Wed: 11:30 am -12:30 pm

Required Text:        An Introduction to Language by Fromkin, Rodman & Hyams. Heinle.

Recommended:       The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language by Crystal. Cambridge University Press. 2^nd Edition. (1997).

Supplements:           Available on-line through WebCT.

Course objectives:

•           To understand the basic concepts in the major subfields of linguistics: morphology, phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, language variation, historical linguistics, and language acquisition.

•           To acquire some basic tools and techniques for linguistic analysis in each of these areas.

•           To practice in using these tools to discover the organizing principles of language.

•           To apply analysis techniques for morphology, phonology and syntax to languages other than English.

•           To become more aware of the language around you and how it is used.

•           To become aware of the diversity and fundamental similarities of languages of the world.

•           To understand how languages can change over time or due to social situations.

•           To examine your attitudes toward and beliefs about language.

Student Learning Objectives

By the end of the of Linguistics 390, students should be able to:

•     Define and explain what is studied in the major subfields of linguistics: morphology, phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, language acquisition.

•     Define basic terminology within each of the subfields and illustrate the definition with examples.

•     Identify major word classes, word formation and inflectional processes and illustrate them.

•     Analyze words into their component parts and support your analysis with argumentation.

•     Recognize the symbols of the International Phonetics Alphabet (IPA) and be able to give words that illustrate the sound that is represented by each symbol of the IPA.

•     Transcribe simple words and phrases from English using the symbols of the IPA.

•     Describe consonants using the articulatory features: place, manner and voicing; Describe vowels using the articulatory features.

•     Identify natural classes of sounds in English or other languages using distinctive features.

•     Determine phonological distribution of sounds in a language and write rules to describe these processes.

•     Determine phrases and constituents of sentences using constituent structure tests.

•     Write phrase structure rules and draw tree structures for sentences in English and languages other than English.

•     List and illustrate the major stages of language acquisition in children.

•     Describe and illustrate the major processes and features of child language in terms of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics.

•     Describe similarities and differences between first language acquisition, bilingual language acquisition and second language acquisition.

•     Define fundamental concepts in the social uses of language, e.g., speech variety, register, dialect, jargon, slang.

•     Define and explain the relationship between pidgins and creoles.

•     Describe how use of structural and other features of language changes according to speech situation.

•     Describe how social and historical factors influence the use and spread of dialects and language change.

•     List and illustrate how language can change in terms of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.

•     Define the comparative method and explain reconstruction of earlier languages.

Course Requirements & Weighting

      Homework assignments (online and handed in)                                    30% 

      Phonetics Quiz                                                                                       10% 

      Midterm Exam                                                                                       30%

      Final Exam                                                                                            30% 

You must complete at least 75% of the homework, the quiz, and both the midterm and final to pass the course. (Pass here is defined as any grade not an F, or over 62% of the points. Note that a C- or below (73% or below) does not fulfill the requirements for most programs.)

Grading Criteria

Assignments and exams will be graded on a point scale. An A or A- will fall between 91-100% of the points, a B+, B, or B- will fall between 90-81% of the points, a C, C+, or C- will fall between 80% and 71% , and a D, D+ or D- will fall between 70% and 61% of the total points. Note that homework is graded on a percentage scale, not total number of points. For ease of grading, sometimes homework problems can have wildly different numbers of points. So, missing 20 points on 100 point assignment is reasonable, and definitely passing. Missing 20 points on a 40 point assignment is another matter altogether. For homework and exams that require problem solving, points are assigned according to the following criteria:

1. Difficulty of problem (more difficult problems will be worth more points)

2. Demonstrating all steps involved in the problem solving process.

3. Accuracy of answers for each step.

4. Accuracy of final answer.

Please note: If you just give a final answer, WITHOUT the intervening steps, you will not receive full credit. The homework assignments are concerned with process as much as the final answers. Because of this, I may assign more questions than I grade.

Course Requirements

Quiz There will be one in-class quizzes during the quarter on phonetics, the International Phonetic Alphabet and natural classes of sounds. Additional practice quizzes may be available through WebCT. More details will be given in class.

Exams There will be two in-class exams during the quarter, one mid-term and one final. The mid-term will be in-class and the final will be held during the regular final exam period. Exams will be cumulative. Want to know what will be on the exams? Look at the student objectives!

Homework Assignments You will be asked to complete approximately 7-8 assignments over the course of the quarter. The assignments will be drawn primarily from exercises in the textbooks, but may include additional questions handed out in-class. Assignments and due dates will be announced or given out in class and on-line via WebCT. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get the assignments. I will generally announce assignments 2-3 class periods in advance.

Online Assignments Several of the required assignments may be open book, online “quizzes”.

Importance of Homework: my experience has been that there is a strong relationship between performance on homework and performance on exams, especially the final. While good scores on homework assignments cannot guarantee a good grade on exams, it will help. One of the best ways for you to prepare for exams is to take time over each homework assignment, keep up with the work and to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from your mistakes on the homework.

Format: Assignments must be done in pen. All pages must be stapled together. If your handwriting is not legible, you will be asked to complete future assignments by typewriting only. Failure to turn in legible work will result in a zero.

Late assignments will be penalized by 10% per day. Assignments more than 5 days late will not be accepted. Homework will not be accepted after corrected homework is handed back. Note: Each day counts. Thus, if an assignment is due on Monday and you give it to me on Wednesday, that's 20% off. If it's due on Fridayh and you give it to us on M onday that will be 30% OFF!

Recovering from a bad homework: If you have a disastrous homework (less than a 75% of the total points) I will allow you to redo two problems on the homework for regrading. The reworked homework will be due the class period after homework is handed back. You may take advantage of the “redo” option only twice during the quarter, unless there are extenuating circumstances AND I give my permission for more than 2 to be redone.

Discussing Homework Outside of Class It is often helpful to discuss ideas, problems or issues with other students. You will have some opportunity to do this in-class. In addition, the TA, Michelle Culley, will be holding discussion sections outside of class to help practice the concepts in the homework. Students are welcome to form their own study groups. Be aware however, that all written work must be your own. If there is clear evidence that it is not, all parties involved will fail that assignment and appropriate steps will be taken within the university.

Emergencies/Missed Assignments If you are seriously ill or have a family emergency, you must notify me as soon as you know there might be a problem with meeting a deadline. My voice mail (725-4140) and e-mail (santelmannl@pdx.edu) both work 24 hours a day, so you can call or send a message at any time. If you miss a deadline due to an emergency, I will need a written confirmation (on letterhead) of what the problem was.

      1.   For homework, make-up work will not be possible after the assignments have been handed back to the class.

      2.   For quizzes and exams, make-ups will only be possible if I receive written confirmation that you had a medical or other emergency.

Incompletes are RARELY given, and only under extreme circumstances (properly documented).

Students with special needs: Please see me if you have a disability that may require some modification of the seating, testing or other class requirements so that appropriate arrangements may be made. Also, call Disabled Students Services at 725-4150 or TDD 725- 6504. I will work with you to arrange needed supports.

Withdrawing from Class: October 23^rd is the last day to withdraw without a "W". October 28^th is the last day to withdraw without instructor approval. November 18^th is the last day to withdraw with permission. I understand that students occasionally need to withdraw from a course. If you need to withdraw and you need my signature, please don't hesitate to come see me. You won't have to explain why. If you attend class, even once, and stop coming to class without withdrawing, you will receive a grade of F.

Schedule and reading assignments (subject to change)

Fromkin et al. = An Introduction to Language, by Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman and Nina Hyams.

Crystal = Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, edited by David Crystal (2^nd Edition)

Final Exam WEDNESDAY December 7^th, 10:15-12:05 in our regular classroom. Early exams will not be given.