Introduction to Linguistics

Tuncer Can ; Spring Term 2006, Introduction to Linguistics; Monday 10:00-12:15 (E6) / Monday 10:00-12:15 (E6); Office hours: Tuesday 1012:00; in room (7), Phone : 440 00 00 extn :13030 ; E-mail : Admin@ingilish.com; Website: http://www.ingilish.com/hayef.htm ; http://elt-linguistics.blogspot.com/ INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS In this lesson, starting from language phenomenon, scientific bases, terminology on linguistics, multi-relational aspect and the other related areas are discussed. First of all, developing a fair awareness on language is aimed. Language phenomenon is discussed by reference to domains that nurture it. Language origins, language-brain relationship, sound, word, syntactic, meaning and social systems, communication with all its contexts, discourse analysis and its approaches, language learning and teaching aspects are discussed throughout the course. Linguistics and language teaching methods is just another study area for us. Our main goals are providing our trainees with the necessary information on language and other domains related to language, and creating an intellectual background on language and language teaching. That language is a dynamic system and is nurtured by everything human is being strongly stressed. Thus, we believe that a scientific approach to language teaching can also be developed as in Linguistics. Furthermore, we strongly guesstimate the fact that once our trainees develop awareness on language, they can elaborate pleasure from literature pieces like poetry and theatre plays. By discussions on Communication and Discourse Analysis we assume that our trainees will improve their interpersonal relations and have more intuition in their professional lives. Weekly assignments contribute into personal development of our trainees by catering for improvement of their intellectual abilities. Poems, novels, movies, conversations and their contexts are analyzed. Their significance for Linguistics and teaching is emphasized so that it is presupposed that this enables personal creation and creativity in later stages of life. In addition, Course-books are analyzed according to practical outcomes of Linguistics. The main goal there is to enhance success in seeing the pragmatic results Linguistics study has brought in for language teaching and having a broader view on evaluating the foreign language teaching books and the activities they employ. It is so obvious that human beings have much deeper relation with the language. Seeing the world in Linguistics shoes would construe new perspectives for our trainees while perceiving and appreciating the world around them.

CONTENTS AND FORMAT This course provides an up-to-date introduction to the study of linguistics, the discipline that investigates and describes the language, acquisition, production, and comprehension of language. Now that this is the first time the students have this lesson linguistic terms and basics will be presented throughout the course. In addition, the relation between linguistics and foreign language teaching will be examined thoroughly, thus students will be expected to acquire a broader view on the matter. The course will also look at the language within the society, and will aim to enhance language awareness. The course consists of 10 weeks, three hours each. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The module has four main aims: (i) to provide students with an overview of theoretical models, experimental methods and current issues in linguistics in relation to foreign language teaching,(ii) to enable students to understand and assess current scientific debates in the field, (iii) to help students understand and appreciate the relationship between linguistic data and language learning and teaching theories and models, and (iv) to provide students with the necessary background for studying linguistics, discourse analysis or related topics at an advanced level.

STUDENT CONTRIBUTION Students are expected to attend regularly, to participate as required, and to contribute actively to class discussions. Some reading may be expected in advance of a lecture, and will definitely be required afterwards so as to consolidate the understanding of the material and ideas presented in the lecture. TEACHING METHOD The course has a mixed lecture-plus-class format. The lectures will be kept reasonably informal, with opportunities for participation by the students. The classes will primarily involve working through selected exercise material. ASSESSMENT 1) Coursework Assignments+Final (%50); 2) Mid-term (%40); 3) Evaluation (%10)

RESOURCES Akmajian, A & et al, (2001):Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication MIT, Cambridge,USA

Pinker, S. (1995):The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language Harper Collins, NY, USA Mitchell, R. & F. Myles, (2002): Second Language Learning Theories, OUP, NY, USA Stockwell, R. & D. Minkova,(2003): English Words: History and Structure, CUP, Cambridge, UK

Week
Week 1

Date
6 March 2006

Topics
Introduction to the programme

Readings

Communication
Week 2 13 March 2006 Whats This That I am Speaking? Background Knowledge, after the class Pinker ()

Week 3

20 March 2006

Grandmas invention

tales,

Sorcerers Akmajian et al, pp. 315-339 Ch:8

Origins of Language
Week 4 27 March 2006 Unique Moments in Life Language Acquisition Week 5 3 April 2006 Akmajian et al, pp.477-520 Ch: 11 Grief and Gleason Akmajian et al, pp.527-557 Ch: 12 Course Content

Where is my language mined? Brain and Language

Mid Term Exams Mid Term Exams

Week 6

10 April 2006

Week 7

17 April 2006

Course Content

Week 8

24 April 2006

Prism and the light Linguistics We Apply that Magic Linguistics and Language Teaching Teacher Taught, Preacher Prought? Morphology , Enlarging

Akmajian et al, pp. 5-9 Ch: 1 Wolf, L. (1983) Mitchell, R. & F. Myles, pp. 1-40

Week 9

1 May 2006

Week 10

8 May 2006

Akmajian et al, pp. 11-54 Ch: 2

Vocabulary
Week 11 15 May 2006 Morpheus and the Muses Morphological Rules in English What's in a name? a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet Slot Machine Computer Heads Stockwell, R. & D. Minkova, pp. 73-92 Ch: 5 Akmajian et al, pp. 227-261 Ch: 6 Akmajian et al, pp. 149- 215 Ch: 5 Liddy

Week 12

22 May 2006

Week 13

29 May 2006

Week 14

5 June 2006

SUGGESTED PRELIMINARY READING

Brown, G. & K. Malmkaer, (1995): "Language and Understanding", OUP, Oxford. Coulthard, M. (1985): "An Introduction to Discourse Analysis", Longman, Essex. Crystal, D (1990): "Linguistics", Penguin, UK. Fromkin, V. & R. Rodman: "An Introduction to Language", H&B College Publishers, Stern. H. H (2001):Fundamental Concepts of Language Teaching,OUP,Oxford. Kran, Z. (2001): "Dilbilime Giri",Sekin Yay. Ankara. Parker, F. (1986): "Linguistics for Non-linguists", Little, Brown and Company, Boston. Pinker, S. (1995): "The Language Instinct", HarperPerennial, New York. Widdowson, H.G. (1999): "Aspects of Language Teaching",OUP, Oxford.

INTERNET RESOURCES

http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb8/misc/lfb/html/text/startlfbframeset.html http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/3920/ http://www.ling.udel.edu/idsardi/101/ http://www.linguistics.org.uk/index.htm http://www.mit.edu/~ejhanna/language/intrlang.html http://www.ling.udel.edu/ling/Dept101.html http://www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics/clmt/w3c/corpus_ling/content/courses/conferences.html