University of Surrey - Guildford
Registry
  
 

  
 
Registry > Module Catalogue
View Module List by A.O.U. and Level  Alphabetical Module Code List  Alphabetical Module Title List  Alphabetical Old Short Name List  View Menu 
2010/1 Module Catalogue
 Module Code: LIN1001 Module Title: INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE STUDY
Module Provider: Language & Translation Studies Short Name: LANG101
Level: HE1 Module Co-ordinator: MENENDEZ-LOPEZ MM Miss (Lang & Trans)
Number of credits: 10 Number of ECTS credits: 5
 
Module Availability

All year
Assessment Pattern

Unit(s) of Assessment
Weighting Towards Module Mark( %)
Coursework: weekly online discussion tasks (individual or groups)
30%
Coursework: a 1,500-word essay in English on one of the lecture topics applied to a language of their degree.
30%
Exam: A two-hour exam on linguistic terminology and concepts.
40%

Module Overview
This is a level 1 module designed to introduce language degree students to linguistic analysis, in order to support their future language study. It is taught in English, and examples are drawn from English and the languages of their study (French, German, Russian and Spanish). It is taught over 22 weeks, 1 hour a week face to face, and 1 hour online.
Prerequisites/Co-requisites
None.
Module Aims

The aim of this module is to provide language degree students with the tools to understand and analyse theoretical linguistic concepts, and apply them to the languages of their study in order to become better language learners.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
  • use linguistic terminology appropriately.
  • demonstrate awareness of general linguistic concepts.
  • compare and contrast linguistic aspects of their native language and the languages of their study 
  • apply and discuss critically linguistic analysis tools to the languages of their study
Module Content
The following topics will be covered:
Language and Languages
  • Signs and communication
  • Written vs. spoken speech
  • Verbal vs. non-verbal communication
  • Language acquisition vs. language learning
  • Language universals
  • Language families
  • Communicative competence
Linguistic areas of study
  • The sounds: Phonetics & Phonology
  • The form: Grammar (Morphology & Syntax)
  • The meaning: Semantics
    The context: Pragmatics
Methods of Teaching/Learning

The course will be delivered through a mixture of lectures and seminars. Importance is attached to practical data analysis, and students will be asked to prepare short assignments, mini-presentations and items for class discussion on a regular basis. Attendance to classes is compulsory. The students will also carry out weekly online tasks.

Selected Texts/Journals
Selected Texts/Journals
Bibliography for the lectures can be found in the University library.
Expected purchases:
Hudson, G. (2000). Essential Introductory Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Recommended:
Aitchison, J. (2000). Teach Yourself Linguistics. Maidenhead: Macgraw-Hill.
Graddol, D., Cheshire, J. and Swan, J. (1994). Describing Language. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
O'Grady, W., Dobrovolsky, M. and Katamba, F. (1997). Contemporary Linguistics. An Introduction. London: Longman.
Palmer, F.R. (2nd ed.) (1994). Semantics. Cambridge: CUP.
Thomas, L. (1993). Beginning Syntax. Oxford: Blackwell.
Encyclopedias:
Crystal, D. (2nd ed.) (1997). The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language. Cambridge: CUP.
Dictionaries:
Crystal, D. (4th ed.) (1997). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Trask, L. (1993). A dictionary of grammatical terms in linguistics. London/New York: Routledge.
Trask, R. L. (1997). A Student's Dictionary of Language and Linguistics. London: Edward Arnold.
Supportive:
Atkinson, M., Kilby, D. & Roca, I. (1982). Foundations of general linguistics. London: Allen & Unwin.
Hurford, J.R. and Heasley, B. (1983). Semantics: A Coursebook. Cambridge: CUP.
Lyons, J. (1981). Language and Linguistics: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Martinet, A. (1964). Elements of General Linguistics. London: Faber.
Palmer, F.R. (2nd ed. 1984). Grammar. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
Pinker, S. (1999). Words and rules. The ingredients of language. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Robins, R. H. (1989). General linguistics: an introductory survey. Harlow: Longman.
Saeed, J.I. (1997). Semantics. Oxford: Blackwell
Saussure, F. de (1857-1913) (ed. Charles Bally and Albert Sechehaye) (1983). Course in General Linguistics. London: Duckworth.
Trask, R. L. (1995). Language: The Basics. London: Routledge.
 
 
Journals and websites:
§         Ethnologue. http://www.ethnologue.com
§         Journal of Linguistics
§         Language
§         Linguistics
§         Word
§         SIL: www.sil.org
§         Other websites and journals will be posted every week in Ulearn for the online tasks.
Last Updated

Feb. 07