Linguistics

Within our flexible Part I system, this 40-credit module runs over the course of the year and introduces students to the field of Linguistics. It is organised into six units that cover:

Structures of Language

This unit focusses on the core areas of linguistic description: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The unit introduces students to the structure and meanings of words and sentences as well as the way words and sentences are understood in specific contexts of use.

Language Beginnings and Endings

This unit explores the evolution of language in our species, the way children acquire language and the way second languages are learned as children and adults. It also considers how language can be impaired and how and why languages die out.

Language and Society

This unit considers how languages differ according to social variables like class, gender and region. It also considers the relationship between language and politics and language and culture. The implications of multilingualism and issues of language policy and planning are also addressed.

Language Variation and Change

This unit explores different modalities of language including writing systems and sign language. It also explores the relationships between different languages and the way languages can change over time. Diversity in the world’s languages and the effect language may have on the way people think are also addressed.

Applied Linguistics

In this unit, students are introduced to some of the areas where knowledge and methods from linguistics are applied. You’ll explore the contributions that linguistics has made to areas like forensic science, computer science, health communication, education and literacy.

Methods of Linguistics

In this unit you’ll be introduced to some of the research methods relied on in linguistics, including both qualitative and quantitative methods. You’ll explore the different ways that data is collected and analysed in linguistics through ethnography, corpus linguistics, surveys and experiments.