Introduction to Linguistics
Eng. 383/583 Fall 2007

Link to Primary Project: Part I & Overview , Part II , Part III , Part IV , Informed consent form
Link to Graduate Paper Assignment
Link to Midterm Study Guide, Final Study Guide

Professor: Dr. Margaret Hostetler
Meeting Times: Wed. 6-9PM
Office: Radford 221 Office Phone: 424-7281
Office Hours: Tues and Thurs. 11:10-12:10, Tues. 3:00-3:30, Wed. 5:00-6:00, and by appointment
Email: hostetle@uwosh.edu English  Department Web Page: www.english.uwosh.edu

Required Texts: (Available at the U Bookstore)
The Language Files 8th edition, Department of Linguistics, Ohio State University

Purpose: To introduce students to various aspects of both theoretical and applied linguistics, including phonetics/phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics.

Course Objectives:
1. To provide students with an overview of the field of linguistic study and an understanding of the systematic nature of language.
2. To familiarize students with the differences among prescriptive and descriptive notions of language study.
3. To offer the students the opportunity for the practical application of various linguistic analyses on naturally occurring speech.


Instructional Activities: The format of the course will be lecture/discussion with workshops and student presentations. You should read all assigned materials before class and be prepared to discuss them. There will be some in-class assignments to facilitate discussion when appropriate.

Assignments: The primary assignment will be a four-part project in which you will apply different linguistic analyses to selections of naturally occurring speech which you will record. You will be presenting a part of this project to the class (specific requirements for this project will be made available on a separate sheet). This project is required for the course. There will also be a mid-term exam, a final exam and periodic quizzes over the readings or lectures. You will also have regular homework assignments.

Grade Breakdown:
Project (4 parts @ 10% each)  40%
Quizzes and Presentation  10%
Homework    20%
Mid-term exam   10%
Final exam    10%
Preparation and Class participation 10%


Attendance: You are required to be present and prepared for all class meetings. Excessive absences will result in a lowering of your final grade. Since each course during this intensive summer session counts for a week of material, missing more than one is considered excessive. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to keep up with any missed work. Call a classmate to take notes for you. Quizzes and exams cannot be made up unless you have an excused absence. Please talk to me in advance if you have to miss a class for some other reason than illness.

Late Work Policy: I do accept late work but it will be penalized one letter grade for each day it is late including non-class days and days you are absent. Special exceptions for emergencies may be made in accordance with University Policy.


583/ Graduate Credit
To earn graduate credit for this course, in addition to doing the work presented in the syllabus each graduate student must write a seminar paper of 10-15 pages.  The course will cover an overview of the major sub-fields of linguistics: Phonetics, Phonology, Semantics, Morphology, Syntax, and Pragmatics/Sociolinguistics. We will also do a little introduction to psycholinguistics. For your seminar paper, please choose one of the topics from LF chapters 10-15 to research. Each chapter includes references which can be a starting place for your own research. Pick an issue in the chapter that interests you and formulate a research question to answer in your paper. Include an annotated bibliography with your paper with at least 7 entries. You may be expected to give a short presentation on your topic to the class if we have time on the final meeting. I can help with potential topics or research questions if you’d like advice.

Grade Breakdown for 583:
Project (4 parts @ 10% each) 40%
Quizzes and Presentation 10%
Homework 10%
Mid-term exam 10%
Final exam 10%
Seminar Paper 15%
Preparation and Class participation 5%

Reading Schedule
The readings listed for the week should be read prior to that week—in other words—be ready to discuss the reading on the day for which it is scheduled. This schedule is a bit flexible. If we decide to spend more time on something we will. LF=Language Files
 

Week 1  Wed. Sept. 5         Introduction to the course/ prescriptive vs descriptive conceptions of language/ theories of communication and the nature of language (some myths)

Week 2  Wed. Sept. 12     Phonetics: LF: 35-51, 57-65/ Exercises pp. 55-6: 5, 6, 7, 8

Week 3  Wed. Sept. 19   Phonology: LF: 69-91/ Exercises pp. 92-99: 1.2, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1

Week 4  Wed. Sept. 26   Phonology continued: LF: 102-109/ Project Part I Due (Presentations)

Week 5  Wed. Oct. 3 Morphology/ LF: 113-117, 120-137/ Exercises pp. 139-143: 1.2, 1.8, 2.1

Week 6  Wed. Oct. 10     Finish Morphology/ Review for Midterm

Week 7  Wed. Oct. 17     Midterm Exam / Begin Syntax

Week 8  Wed. Oct. 24     Syntax/ LF: 151-173 Project Part II Due  (Presentations)/ Exercises: to be announced

Week 9  Wed. Oct. 31     Syntax / LF: 174-184

Week 10 Wed. Nov. 7      Syntax / LF: 185-190

Week 11  Wed. Nov. 14     Semantics/ LF: 197-217 Project Part III Due  (Presentations)

Week 12  Wed. Nov. 21     Thanksgiving Break

Week 13 Wed. Nov. 28    Pragmatics/ LF: 221-246

Week 14  Wed. Dec. 5        Psycholinguistics: LF: 249-297/ Project Part IV Due  (Presentations)

Week 15 Wed. Dec. 12 Final Exam