AN INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL LINGUISTICS
(COURSE DESCRIPTION)
Students: English majors
Class contact: 2 hours per week
Course duration: one semester Lecturer: Ma Zhuanghuan et al Aims:
This is designed as an elective course for the undergraduates majoring in English. It aims to introduce some rudimentary knowledge of language and general linguistics so as to help the students gain insight into the nature of language at large, and awareness of the theoretical construction of linguistics. The main topics are as follows: the nature of language; the branches, purposes, domain, characteristics of general linguistics; linguistic study at various levels: phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics; the relationship of linguistics with some other disciplines. Hopefully this course will broaden the students’ horizons and enhance their command of foreign language as well. While presenting linguistic knowledge, the course can also acquaint the students with certain scientific methods employed in linguistic research, which will be conducive to them eventually.
Assessment system:
Attendance and performance: 30%
Final examination: 70%
References:
Finch,G. Linguistic Terms and Concepts. New York: Macmillan Press Ltd., 2000.
Fromkin, V. & R. Rodman. An Introduction to Language. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978.
*Hu Zhuanglin, (eds.) linguistics. A Course Book (Second Edition). Beijing: Peking
University Press, 2001.
Lyons, J. Language and Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
Palmer, F. R. Semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
Poole,S.C. An Introduction to Linguistics. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research
Press:2000.
Robins, R. H. General Linguistics: An introductory survey. London: Longman, 1971.
Robins, R. H. A Short History of Linguistics. London: Longman, 1979.
Yule, G. The Study of Language. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press: 2000.
(*--the main reference)
Progression of the course (tentative):
Week 1 introduction to the course: its branches, characteristics, importance, etc.; brief review of
linguistic studies.
Week 2 nature of language: its definitions; design features of language compared with
other human or non-human communication systems; functions of language.
Week 3 phonetics: types of phonetics; speech organs and their functions.
Week 4 phonetics: consonants and vowels; phonetic transcription.
Week 5 phonology: phonemes and allophones; some phonological rules.
Week 6 morphology
Week 7 syntax
Week 8 syntax
Week 9 semantics: its scope; meanings of ‘meaning’.
Week 10 semantics: sense relations; simple logic: prepositional and predicate.
Week 11 pragmatics
Week 12 pragmatics
Week 13 Language and society
Week 14 Language, culture and thought
Week 15 language variation: language change at various levels.
Week 16 language development
Week 17 language development
Week 18 Schools of linguistics
(Examination not included)