LING102: English Language

• Terms Taught:
  • Full Year course
  • Michaelmas Term only
  NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year and you select a module that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the module
• US Credits:
  • Full Year - 10 Semester Credits
  • Michaelmas Only - 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Full Year - 20 ECTS
  • Michaelmas Only - 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This course will introduce you to the English language (how to describe it, how it varies and how it functions in a variety of contexts). Students will not only study the traditional linguistic areas of English (e.g. lexis, grammar, phonetics), but also areas that are often overlooked (e.g. letters, spellings) and areas that have more recently come to the fore, such as those of pragmatics or conversation analysis. Students will learn and apply linguistic frameworks in the analysis and explanation of variation in English, both present-day and, to a lesser extent, historical.

Students will gain some appreciation of the aspects that are distinctive of English compared with other closely related languages (e.g. German, French and Italian). In order to study this variation, students will become conversant with crucial descriptive concepts, such as accents, dialects, registers, genres, and styles, as well as possible explanations for variation.

Students will learn about the role of practices and contexts in shaping the English Language, for example, how new TV genres have come about; and also about the functions of English, for example, how it can be creatively exploited for the purpose of constructing a joke. Finally, students will learn about the teaching of English, especially as a foreign language.

The course is arranged in a series of blocks including: visual English, English vocabulary, English structures, English sounds, conversational English, English dialects, media English, creative English, changing English, and teaching English. Throughout, students will be encouraged to critically assess 'facts' about English, and will be introduced to a range of methods by which evidence about English can be derived.

Educational Aims

This course will enable students to:

• Engage in critical thinking
• Undertake systematic analysis
• Have a grasp of a range of methodologies and understand the implications of the interpretation of evidence
• Find, read and deploy scholarly publications appropriately
• Write academic essays
• Discuss their ideas in peer groups

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Analyse and explain variation in present-day English (e.g. accents, dialects, registers, genres, styles), focusing on more traditional areas of language (e.g. lexis, grammar) and areas that have only recently been explored (e.g. conversational acts, discourse)
• Analyse and explain the role of practices and contexts in shaping the English Language
• Analyse and explain how English has varied over time
• Appreciate aspects that are distinctive of English compared with other closely related languages (e.g. German, French, Italian)
• Describe and understand the various functions of English
• Understand the issues involved in teaching English
• Critically assess ‘facts’ about English
• Apply basic linguistic descriptive frameworks
• Appreciate different ways of studying the English language
• Entertain different points of view on certain issues, and weigh their various merits and shortcomings objectively
• Construct arguments in an essay
• Assemble evidence to support their arguments
• Carry out research in the library
• Refer to other studies correctly and construct a proper bibliography

Outline Syllabus

The syllabus is indicative and liable to change.

• Visual English: Letters and punctuation, spelling in society and its development, multimodality
• English vocabulary: The word, the lexicon and its development
• English structures: Grammar and grammatical inflections, nouns and noun phrases, verbs and verb phrases, the structure of sentences, grammar and its development
• English sounds: The sounds, the sound system, sounds of English, sounds and their development
• Conversational English: Conversational routines and politeness, the systemics of conversation
• English dialects: Dialect and speech community, regional British accents and dialects, class, accent and dialect in Britain, dialectal change and the rise of "standard" English, multilingual Britain, International Englishes, restructured Englishes
• Media English: Genre, genres and their development in English, political speeches and other oratorical genres, newspapers and other print media, new TV genres, advertising, new internet genres,
• Creative English: Creativity, style and stylistics, poetry, pop song lyrics, narrative and the novel, oral narratives, conversation in plays and film, "everyday" conversation
• Changing English: The origins of English, the phases of development, recent change
• Teaching English: Theory and practice, TEFL, TESOL
• Investigating English: The corpus-based approach, transcribing sounds and conversation, Dialect surveys in Britain, text and practices, Stylistic analysis, computers and corpora

Assessment Proportions

• Essay(s): 40%
• Exam: 40%
• Presentation (Assessed): 10%
• Test: 10%

LING103: Linguistics

• Terms Taught:
  • Full Year course.
  • Michaelmas Term only.
  NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year and you select a module that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the module.
• US Credits:
  • Full Year - 10 Semester Credits
  • Michaelmas Only - 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Full Year - 20 ECTS
  • Michaelmas Only - 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This course will introduce students to areas and topics across the full breadth of the linguistics discipline. The core areas of phonetics, phonology, morphology and syntax will be covered in some depth, whilst semantics and pragmatics are also included. In relation to these areas, students get an appreciation of some of the major theoretical debates, whilst they will also acquire actual analytical skills, using data not only from English, but crucially also from other languages.

In addition to these core areas, a number of important sub-fields of linguistics will be dealt with including sociolinguistics, the study of language acquisition and learning, historical linguistics, and linguistic typology.

Finally, a number of applications of linguistics will be discussed. Indicative topics here are: forensic linguistics, educational linguistics, and language testing

Educational Aims

Students will learn to:

• Engage in critical thinking
• Undertake systematic analysis
• Have a grasp of a range of methodologies and understand the implications for the interpretation of evidence
• Find, read and deploy scholarly publications appropriately
• Write academic essays
• Discuss their ideas in peer groups

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Carry out basic phonetic, phonological, and grammatical analysis of English and other languages
• Appreciate broad structural differences between languages
• Carry out basic semantic and pragmatic analyses of words and larger utterances
• Differentiate between the main theoretical approaches to language acquisition/learning and the origins of language
• Appreciate the extent to which language varies across time and across space, and discuss some of the main methods used in these areas
• Understand and explain some of the main developments in the history of the field of linguistics
• Appreciate and engage in basic discussions about some of the real world applications of linguistics
• Entertain different points of view on certain issues, and weigh their various merits and shortcomings objectively
• Construct arguments in an essay
• Carry out research in the library
• Refer to other studies correctly and construct a proper bibliography

Outline Syllabus

The module will consist of 7 blocks of 3-5 weeks each, amounting to 25 weeks in total. The basic areas of linguistics covered by each block are as follows:

• Language origins, acquisition, disorders, and death
• Grammar
• Multilingualism and language contact
• Language variation and language change
• Phonetics and phonology
• Linguistic meaning and language use
• History and applications of linguistics

Assessment Proportions

• Essay(s): 30%
• Exam: 40%
• Test: 30%

LING204: Discourse Analysis: Looking at Language in Use

• Terms Taught:
  • Lent and Summer only.
• US Credits:
  • Lent and Summer Only - 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Lent & Summer Only - 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

The course aims to introduce you to the critical analysis of spoken and written discourse in contemporary social contexts. It provides a range of resources and techniques for analysing texts, and enables you to apply them in looking at use of language as one aspect of social processes and change. Methods include functional grammatical analysis of clauses and sentences, analysis of generic structure, conversation analysis of dialogue and group talk, and intertextual and interdiscursive analysis. If you follow this course you will:

• develop your capacity for language analysis;
• learn to apply academic knowledge and analysis to real world issues and problems;
• develop a critical stance towards your social environment in its language aspects;
• question and challenge social and intellectual authority and knowledge, including what is taught on the course.

Educational Aims

The module aims to provide students with:

• knowledge about classical and contemporary approaches to analysing text and discourse;
• knowledge about and ability to apply a range of methods to describe and interpret texts;
• an understanding about the links between text, interaction and social context.

Outline Syllabus

Introduction: Genres and discourses

Block I: Grammatical frameworks for discourse analysis:

• Transitivity I: social actors
• Transitivity II: process types
• Modality

Block II: Specific approaches and applications:

• Conversation analysis
• Multimodality
• Digitally mediated discourse analysis
• Intertextuality and interdiscursivity
• Institutional discourse: politics, healthcare and education

Content Warning:

This module involves examples and analysis of verbal and visual data from real-world contexts including politics and political resistance, healthcare and military conflicts, and other contexts that students may potentially find upsetting. Please discuss any concerns you may have about this with the module convenor or your seminar tutor.

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Coursework: 40%

LING210: Stylistics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

The course is concerned with the linguistic analysis of literary texts, and particularly with the relationship between linguistic choices on the one hand and readers’ interpretations on the other. It deals with all three main literary genres: poetry, prose fiction and drama.

Topics will typically include:

• Foregrounding in language: deviation
• Foregrounding in language: parallelism
• Figurative language and thought
• Metaphor, metonymy and pain in verbal and visual art
• Narrative and point of view
• Fictional minds 1: point of view and mind style
• Speech and thought presentation
• Fictional conversations and characterisation
• Fictional minds 2: conversation and autistic characters

Content warning: The week 3 lecture includes some first-person accounts of the experience of having cancer; the week 4 lecture and seminar task focus on first-person accounts of the experience of chronic pain; and the week 10 lecture and seminar task focus on fictional accounts of the experience of autism.

Educational Aims

The module aims to provide students with:

• An understanding of concepts and methods relevant to stylistic analysis
• The ability to undertake detailed and systematic analyses of literary texts
• The ability to relate linguistic analysis to interpretation.
• The ability to understand and critique scholarly literature;
• The ability to conduct rigorous analyses independently;
• The ability to present their analyses clearly and effectively both orally and in writing;
• The ability to engage in discussion and debate of their own and others’ ideas, and develop team working skills.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Competently discuss concepts and methods relevant to stylistic analysis;
• Describe accurately and systematically distinctive linguistic choices and patterns in literary texts;
• Explain the relationship between distinctive linguistic choices and patterns in texts on the one hand and reader’s interpretations on the other;
• Understand and critique scholarly literature;
• Conduct rigorous analyses independently;
• Present their analyses clearly and effectively both orally and in writing;
• Engage in discussion and debate of their own and others’ ideas, and develop communication and team working skills.

Assessment Proportions

• Essay(s): 40%
• Exam: 60%

LING211: The Language of Advertising

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language or Marketing or a modern foreign language.

Course Description

We all know when an ad has caught our attention, and whether it works for us or not, but what precisely is responsible for these effects? In this course, we will learn how to take ads apart using tools taken from linguistics, rhetoric, and semiotics. We will explore how ad writers make use of the different levels of language: for instance, how they exploit sounds and spellings; how they toy with word meanings and word associations; how they manipulate, and sometimes break, the rules of standard grammar. We will also explore how ads interact with other texts and consider the relationship between words and pictures. As well as analysing ads themselves, we will also test out our intuitions about them, by seeing how the words, structures and visuals used in the ads are employed in other kinds of texts.

Educational Aims

By the end of the course, students should:

• know the main terms and concepts from linguistics, rhetoric, and semiotics which are relevant for the analysis of advertisements;
• be able to identify the above phenomena in advertisements;
• be able to conceptualise their intuitions about advertisement texts;
• be able to carry out a full critical analysis of an advertisement by applying and integrating the above skills.

Outline Syllabus

Topics may vary slightly from year to year, but will commonly include:

• Introduction and History
• Getting Attention: Sounds, Letters, and Scripts
• Brand and Product Names
• Word Choice and Associations
• Multimodal Ads: Words and Pictures
• Processing Ads: Indirectness, Sentence Types, and Grammar
• Intertextuality and Interdiscursivity
• Stereotypes, Voices, and Varieties

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 50%
• Project: 50%

LING220: Structures of the World's Languages

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

This module will cover central concepts around word order, case marking, agreement, alignment, animacy, definiteness and valency changes and teach you to analyse new data from the world’s languages in terms of these topics. You will learn to critically evaluate the extent to which the structures of the world’s languages are shaped by cognition and communication. You will also learn how linguists provide explanations for why languages are structured the way they are, given the functions they serve. It is expected that you will acquire a better understanding of the structure of English as a result of seeing how English differs from other languages.

Educational Aims

Students should acquire or develop:

• An understanding of the central concepts of modern linguistic theory in general and their application to the description of the structures of the world's languages;
• An understanding of the extent to which the structure of language reflects the way it is used in acts of communication;
• An understanding of explanations for the syntactic organisation found in the world's languages;
• The ability to analyse language data from languages other than English;
• The ability to argue for and against rival theories of language structure.
• Independent critical thought and the ability to assimilate fast large amounts of unfamiliar materials and critically reflect on them;
• General analytical competence (e.g. pattern matching skills);
• Effective research skills including the ability to use the library and IT resources in preparation of written work;
• Communication skills: the ability to communicate ideas well to others and participate in group discussions as well as the ability to write clearly and argue effectively.

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

• Explain central concepts around word order, case making, agreement, alignment, animacy, definiteness and valency changes;
• Analyse new data from the world’s languages in terms of the aforementioned topics;
• Critically evaluate the extent to which the structures of the world’s language is shaped by cognition and communication;
• Assimilate large amounts of unfamiliar data fast and reflect on them critically;
• Use effective research skills, including the use of the library and IT resources, in preparation of written work;
• Communicate ideas well to others and participate in group discussions;
• Write clearly and argue effectively

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• Functional syntax and the languages of the world
• Grammatical relations: word order
• Grammatical relations: case marking
• Grammatical relations: agreement marking
• Grammatical relations: alignment
• Animacy & definiteness
• Changing grammatical relations: decreasing and increasing valency
• Typological research in general

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Coursework: 40%

LING221: Sounds of the World's Languages

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

In this module you will learn to produce, describe, and transcribe all the sounds in the World's languages. We will describe the physiology of how different sounds are produced and will look at the acoustic characteristics of particular sounds. You will practise transcribing all sounds within the International Phonetic Alphabet, and will learn examples of where sounds are used. For example, we spend time looking at the occurrence of click sounds in South African languages and at how pitch variation is used in tone languages. Seminars will cover the practical aspects to sound production, and we will also spend some time learning how to use computers for speech analysis.

Educational Aims

Students should acquire or develop:

• Knowledge of the variety of sounds used in languages across the World;
• A good understanding of the International Phonetic Alphabet;
• The ability to produce and transcribe all sounds used in language;
• The ability to describe the physiological mechanisms used in speech production;
• Independent critical thought and the ability to assimilate fast large amounts of unfamiliar materials and critically reflect on them;
• General analytical competence;
• Effective research skills including the ability to use library and IT resources in the preparation of written work;
• Communication skills: the ability to communicate ideas well to others and participate in group discussions as well as the ability to write clearly and argue effectively.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Use the International Phonetic Alphabet;
• Produce the different sounds used in languages across the world;
• Describe phonetic and phonological cross-linguistic differences;
• Synthesise complex material;
• Think independently and discuss reasoning;
• Collaborate on group projects;
• Present findings as a group;
• Write effectively and discuss reasoning critically.

Outline Syllabus

Topics studied will typically include:

• Phonetics and phonology
• Vowels in the World’s languages
• Consonants in the World’s languages
• Tone and intonation
• Rhythm, stress, and voice quality
• Phonemes and segments
• Syllables and phonotactics
• Multilingual phonetics and phonology
• Hearing
• Sign language phonology
• The phonetics-phonology interface
• Acoustic phonetics

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework assignment consisting of EITHER an essay of 2000 to 2500 words, OR a phonetic transcription and commentary of 2000 to 2500 words. (40%)
• Exam Held in the Main Summer examination period, 1 hour 10 minutes. (60%)

LING222: English Grammar

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

The course will cover important aspects of English grammar, stressing the sense in which grammar (in English and in general) is not an abstract system of arbitrary rules but is motivated by meaning and shaped by usage. We will apply this so-called functionalist perspective not only to present-day English but also to the way in which certain grammatical constructions have developed over time.

Educational Aims

Students will:

• be able to analyse the nature and structure of English words, phrases and clauses;
• have an understanding of the sense in which grammar is not a purely abstract phenomenon but is, instead, based to a large extent on the way in which we conceptualise the world and interact with other speakers;
• have some understanding of aspects of the history of English and the way these relate to present-day English;
• be aware of the main differences between the grammar of spoken vs. written English;
• be aware of the important distinct theoretical frameworks for analysis of English grammar
• improve their oral presentation, team working and general analytical skills;
• have a better understanding of the nature and importance of empirical evidence in argumentation.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• analyse English words, phrases and sentences in terms of basic grammatical notions pertaining to morphology, syntax and semantics;
• explain to some extent how aspects of grammar are based on our conceptualisation of the world and on the way in which speakers interact;
• explain some of the connections between historical varieties of English and present-day English;
• discuss some of the differences between different approaches to English grammar (e.g. formalist and functionalist);
• find, analyse and synthesise information at a level that is appropriate to this stage of their studies and present it orally;
• find, analyse and synthesise information at a level that is appropriate to this stage of their studies and present it in writing;
• demonstrate the ability to build arguments based on empirical evidence;
• manage their time in order to complete an individual piece of data analysis (assessed);
• work together effectively as part of small teams and contribute to joint oral presentations, which will typically also involve PowerPoint and/or audio-visual creation.

Outline Syllabus

TOPICS WILL TYPICALLY INCLUDE:

• The purpose of (studying) grammar
• Simple clauses
• Word classes
• Grammatical functions
• Sentence structures and functions
• Types and structure of phrases
• Subordinate clauses
• Passives, causatives, and reflexives
• The grammar of spoken English

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Presentation: 40%

LING223: English Phonetics

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer terms only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

This course will provide students with an introduction to the phonetics of English. We will embark on a detailed examination of speech production, including the anatomy and physiology of the tongue, lips and larynx. In addition to this, we will cover different ways of representing speech, including transcribing phonetic variation using the International Phonetic Alphabet, and acoustic phonetics – the analysis of the physics of sound. Along the way, we will apply some of the above concepts to understanding phonetic variation in English, including various kinds of social and geographical variation.

Educational Aims

Students will:

• Be able to describe and understand the anatomy and physiology of the human vocal tract;
• Be able to think systematically about phonetic variation;
• Learn to use technical phonetic terminology to describe varieties of English;
• Learn to transcribe varieties of English using the International Phonetic Alphabet;
• Be able to recognise and describe the acoustic properties of the speech signal;
• Improve their oral presentation, team working and general analytical skills;
• Have a better understanding of the nature and importance of empirical evidence in argumentation
• Work effectively in groups;
• Demonstrate strong general analytical skills.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• The vocal tract
• The physics of sound
• The larynx and phonation
• Resonance and vowels
• Constrictions and consonants
• Acoustic phonetics
• Voice quality and sociolinguistic meaning
• Models of speech production
• Applications of phonetics

Assessment Proportions

• Essay: 30%
• Exam: 50%
• Test: 20%

LING228: Child Language Acquisition

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language or Psychology.

Course Description

This course examines explanations of how we acquire our first language. We bring psycholinguistics and theoretical linguistics together to describe and explain the processes a child goes through in learning their first language. We also look at some more advanced issues such as bilingualism, developmental language disorder, and language development in deaf children. The course is an introduction to language acquisition studies, psycholinguistics and theories of mind and language – looking particularly at the wide spectrum of different explanations for language acquisition.

Educational Aims

Students should acquire or develop:

• an understanding of the stages children go through in their phonological, lexical, morphological, and syntactic development
• an ability to apply and evaluate corpus-based and experimental methods that can be used to measure linguistic knowledge
• an ability to critically compare and evaluate different theories that have been developed to explain children's first language acquisition
• an ability to apply their knowledge of developmental language disorder, bilingualism and childhood aphasia to evaluate first language acquisition theories

Outline Syllabus

Topics studied will typically include:

• Social-cognitive prerequisites for language learning
• Phonological and phonetic development
• Word learning
• Acquisition of grammar
• Pragmatic development
• Child directed speech
• Interactions between language and cognitive development
• Developmental language disorder

Assessment Proportions

• Essay: 40%
• Exam: 60%

LING229: Language Origins and Evolution

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language or Psychology

Course Description

This course examines explanations of how language evolved in humans. We explore the evolution of the human language capacity drawing on evidence from linguistics, evolutionary theory, primatology and (paleo) anthropology. We consider language as a cognitive adaptation and ask what it is an adaptation for, such as instruction in tool making, as a form of social bonding, or as a means of winning a potential mate. We consider the phylogenetic development of language within the species as well as what cognitive and communicative abilities in non-human primates might reveal about the origins and functions of human language.

Educational Aims

Students should acquire or develop:

• An understanding of the history and changing status of Evolutionary Linguistics;
• An understanding of the difficulties faced in considering issues of language evolution;
• An understanding of the types of evidence which can be brought to bear on issues of language evolution;
• An understanding of and ability to articulate the contents, strengths and weaknesses of different theories of language evolution;
• An ability to deploy different models and types of evidence in arguments concerning language evolution.
• An ability to assimilate large amounts of information into coherent narratives;
• An ability to evaluate arguments on their own and in comparison with other arguments;
• Effective research skills, including the use of the library and IT resources, in the preparation of written work;
• Communication skills, being able to convey complex ideas well to others and participate in group discussions;
• Academic skills in writing clearly and arguing effectively

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Discuss the history and changing status of Evolutionary Linguistics;
• Discuss some difficulties faced considering issues of language evolution;
• Critically assess types of evidence which can be brought to bear on issues of language evolution;
• Articulate the contents, strengths and weaknesses of different theories of language evolution;
• Develop different modules and types of evidence in arguments concerning language evolution;
• Evaluate arguments on their own and in comparison with other arguments;
• Use effective research skills, including the use of the library and IT resources, in preparation of written work;
• Communicate ideas well to others and participate in group discussions;
• Write clearly and argue effectively.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• Language as an adaptation
• Gestural vs. vocal origins of language
• Cumulative vs. catastrophic evolution
• Cognitive and communicative precursors of language
• Communication and cognition in other primates
• The problem of altruism in accounting for language evolution
• The role of natural, social and sexual selection in driving language evolution

Assessment Proportions

• Essay: 40%
• Exam: 60%

LING236: Introduction to Computational Linguistics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language

Course Description

This module introduces students to a range of technologies that require specialist treatment of linguistic data to function. Students will engage with technologies that require text databases (such as text categorisation technologies), as well as technologies that make use of the human speech signal (such as speech recognition and speaker recognition technologies). Students will not only learn about how these systems work, but they will also start to develop the coding skills required to build them. The module is assessed by two reports that evaluate the performance of language technologies under different data conditions, reflecting the kind of development tasks undertaken in the technology industry.

Educational Aims

The primary aim of this module is to combine students' knowledge and understanding of language with new technical skills which will allow them to solve computational problems. To do this, students will:

• learn basic programming concepts
• learn how to edit and run code
• understand how to organise data for a given linguistic data problem
• learn about the possible technological applications of linguistic frameworks and language data
• learn some of the basic algorithms, processes and techniques that are used to build language-centred systems
• understand the limitations of computational methods and available data for a given problem
• further develop problem-solving skills when faced with larger datasets
• learn to organise, document and manipulate large datasets in ways that optimise their usability
• critically evaluate data and processes
• develop information management and reporting skills.

Outline Syllabus

Topics may vary each year, but will typically include:

• Introduction to coding (Bash Shell Script and Python)
• Machine learning
• Natural language processing
• Text categorisation
• Sentiment analysis
• Automatic speech recognition
• Speech synthesis
• Human-computer interaction

Assessment Proportions

Reports x 2: 100%

LING263: Independent Study

• Terms Taught:
  • Michaelmas Term only
  • Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits:
  • Michaelmas Term only - 4 Semester credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 4 Semester credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Michaelmas Term only - 7.5 ECTS
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 7.5 ECTS 
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

The purpose of this module is to allow students to pursue interests which are not represented in, or central to, established courses, subject to the availability of qualified staff. Students will engage in a programme of supervised reading and produce a dissertation of between 4500 and 5000 words.

Anyone interested in taking this module should discuss the matter with a member of staff before enrolling. Email linguistics@lancaster.ac.uk in the first instance or, if you already know your preferred topic area, you may wish to approach a potential supervisor directly. Note that you cannot enrol for this module online: you must email linguistics@lancaster.ac.uk to sign up for it or speak to Lucy Cavanagh (LAEL teaching co-ordinator) in room C52 County South Building.

The deadline for submission is the Senate Deadline (Friday Week 23) of the year in which the module is taken.

Please note that in order to enrol for an Independent Study Unit you must have:

(1) decided on a topic or topic area

(2) either obtained the agreement of a member of staff to supervise you, or be in the process of doing so.

If in doubt, seek advice by writing to linguistics@lancaster.ac.uk.

Assessment Proportions

• Dissertation: 100%

LING307: Language and Social Identities

• Terms Taught:
  • Lent & Summer Terms Only
   
• US Credits:
  • Lent & Summer Only - 4 Semester Credits.
• ECTS Credits:
  • 7.5 ECTS credits
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

This course is about sociolinguistics, and in particular about how language relates to identities at different levels. This includes how individuals use language to signal their membership of particular social groups, and how different kinds of social groupings, such as peer groups, communities and nations, identify themselves through language.

The course will focus on three important areas of variation in language within society: gender, ethnicity and class. It will discuss the key research in each of these. Both theoretical and applied aspects of topics will be covered. The notion of ‘Identity’ provides the course with a unifying theme.

This course aims to broaden and deepen your capacity for language analysis applied to real social issues and problems and to encourage you to evaluate research critically and undertake your own data collection and analysis.

Educational Aims

Upon completing the course, you should have an understanding of current theory in the area of language in social life, in particular in respect of gender, ethnicity and class, and be able to apply this to a variety of real-life situations which you may encounter inside or outside the university. You will know more about sociolinguistic research in these three areas, including central ideas, key scholars, the history and development of the field, and in different research methodologies drawn on in these areas. And you will understand how connections have been made between languages in different ways in these fields of research.

Upon completion of the module, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of different concepts of identity as drawn on in linguistics, particularly the difference between essentialist and social constructionist models;
• Explain the history and development of the areas of language and gender, language and ideology, multilingualism, and language variation and change;
• Be able to connect empirical research in the areas of language and gender, bilingualism, and language variation and change with broader theoretical concepts.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• The history of and approaches to studying language and identity primarily from an interactional perspective, particularly including interactional sociolinguistics, the ethnography of communication, and linguistic ethnography
• Language ideologies and identities: relationships between language and national, regional, and ethnic identities
• Multilingualism and identity. Multilingual communities and individuals. Key concepts including diglossia. Understanding multilingualism: from code-switching to translanguaging
• Literacies, texts and identities in the social practice model of literacy studies
• Language, gender and sexualities. Theories of language and gender and how they have developed over time. Contemporary discourse approaches to language and gender
• Moving beyond identity: posthumanist and sociomaterial perspectives

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this module addresses issues relating to gender identities, sexuality, ethnicity, and social inequalities. In particular, this will include issues around definitions of sex and gender which are currently contentious, references to aggression as an aspect of hegemonic masculinity, and discussions of sexual identity which may be sensitive for some people. Please discuss any concerns you may have about this with the module convenor or your seminar tutor.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

LING315: Forensic Linguistics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas term only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits.
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS 
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

What does your voice/writing say about your identity? What is the role of language in our legal system? How might linguists contribute to justice? This module aims to provide an accessible introduction to general forensic linguistics and forensic phonetics. The module will be largely problem-based with reference to specific (legal) cases, and you will be familiarised with relevant linguistic ‘tools’ for analysing the cases.

Educational Aims

The module aims to provide students with:

• An understanding of the history and highly evolving status of forensic linguistics;
• An understanding of the nature of forensic linguistics;
• An appreciation of the difference between forensic linguistics and forensic phonetics;
• The ability to carry out basic analysis of a variety of written and spoken texts from the point of view of language and the law;
• An understanding of some of the difficulties in using scientific evidence in a court of law;
• Insight into the combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis;
• Analytical skills through close examination of linguistic evidence;
• The opportunity to improve their argumentative skills, both spoken (through contributions in seminars) and written (through the writing of their essay);
• Increased skills in carrying out library (and internet) based research.

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Appreciate the history and constantly evolving status of forensic linguistics in courts of law
• Engage in meaningful and critical discussion of the main methods used by forensic linguistics in establishing the meaning and the author of a text;
• Carry out basic phonetic and grammatical/lexical analyses themselves to shed light on questions related to meaning and/or authorship of a text
• Appreciate and critically discuss the role of linguistics in questions related to trademarks, aspects of the language used in courts of law;
• Understand aspects of the reality of being a professional forensic linguist;
• Reflect on the role of science in context of the law;
• Critically evaluate the contribution made by quantitative and qualitative analysis in solving a complicated problem;
• Carry out research projects based on library (and internet) research;
• Display the ability to set up coherent arguments both in speech and in writing.

Outline Syllabus

Topics may vary each year, but will typically include:

• Trademark disputes
• Word meaning and legal interpretation
• Meaning disputes
• Product warnings
• Misleading language in advertisement
• Authorship analysis
• Language and disadvantage before the law
• Language crimes (e.g. perjury, threat, bribery)
• Verbal lie detection
• Speaker profiling
• Forensic speaker identification/comparison
• Earwitness identification
• The linguist as expert witness and conclusion frameworks

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

LING316: Psycholinguistics

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language or Psychology.

Course Description

Psycholinguistics is the study of the psychology of language, which is one of the abilities that makes humans unique. It can cover topics in social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. The exact topics we cover can vary each year depend on who is teaching on the course, but we aim to balance these areas and include topics on how children learn language, how language is used in social interaction, how adults process sounds, words and sentences and what happens when children fail to learn a language normally or when adults suffer from brain damage.

Educational Aims

To provide students with:

• Knowledge and understanding of research in the field of psycholinguistics, including topics selected from language acquisition, cognitive psychology of language, literacy, language modelling, and acquired and developmental disorders of language;
• The ability to reflect critically upon the nature of theories in psycholinguistics and in particular how experimental and observational data can inform these;
• Introduction to approaches to psycholinguistics from a variety of methodologies including computer modelling, case studies, psycholinguistic experimentation and naturalistic observation;
• The opportunity to develop general analytic competence;
• An understanding of the links between different research methods, empirical findings and theories;
• The ability to critically evaluate the aforementioned links
• The ability to develop new links between different research methods, empirical findings and theories;
• Communication skills: the ability to communicate ideas well to others and participate in group discussions as well as the ability to write clearly and argue effectively.

By the end of the course students should be able to:

• Discuss theories and data within psycholinguistics, both from a psychological and a linguistic viewpoint;
• Discuss the types of techniques used in psycholinguistic studies and the methodological and ethical issues that pertain;
• Discuss theory and dtat through written media;
• Critically evaluate conflicting theories and present data and methodology;
• Analyse and evaluate data;
• Evaluate theories in light of data;
• Think independently and discuss reasoning;
• Write effectively and discuss reasoning critically.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will include:

• Word learning and categorization
• Language and Theory of Mind
• Studies of children with Developmental Language Disorder and autism
• Williams and Down Syndrome
• The brain-language relationship (including acquired disorders of language)
• Syntactic processing
• Connectionist models

Assessment Proportions

• Essay(s): 40%
• Exam: 60%

LING324: Cognitive Linguistics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only.
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

The course seeks to provide a closer look at selected aspects of language structure and how they are analysed within various theoretical frameworks. It aims to develop a critical awareness of theoretical constructs and the extent to which they influence not only analyses but also the choice of data to be analysed. Students will also be taught to evaluate the appropriateness of specific analyses for individual languages or facets of language. By the end of the course, you should have a good knowledge of the basic principles, notions and structures of Cognitive Linguistics, particularly of Cognitive Grammar.

In addition, you should develop:

• The competence to analyse linguistic (corpus) data in terms of these theoretical constructs;
• An appreciation of the sense in which Cognitive Linguistics is grounded in cognitive psychology, and how this is different from formalist frameworks such as Generative Grammar and its derivatives.

Educational Aims

Students should acquire or develop, beyond the level achieved in the second year on LING220 Structures of the World's Languages:

• An understanding of Cognitive Linguistics, especially as it pertains to grammar and semantics
• An understanding of the relation between Cognitive Linguistics and concepts from cognitive psychology
• A basic understanding of some of the ways in which this approach differs from its main competitor in the field, i.e. Chomskian Generative Grammar.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Read and assess studies in several approaches (genres, sequences, roles/identities, stories/narratives) to interaction at work;
• Draw on relevant analytical frameworks and methods of analysis to analyse some data;
• Demonstrate awareness of resources for research in this area, including online databases;
• Demonstrate awareness of key controversies in the analysis of interaction at work, including issues of equity, power, social and cultural difference, and responses to change;
• Use online databases for research purposes;
• Find publicly available research materials;
• Analyse recordings, transcripts, and other data while focusing on useful interpretive insights;
• Link academic insights from this and other modules to practical issues;
• Present findings to different audiences.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• What is - and what isn’t - Cognitive Linguistics?
• From cognitive psychology to linguistics 1: Categorisation
• More than words: Lexical categories in Cognitive Linguistics
• From cognitive psychology to linguistics 2: Frames and attention
• From cognitive psychology to linguistics 3: Other construal operations
• Putting two and two together: How concepts are combined
• A new twist on an old story: Idioms
• One thing leads to another: From idioms to construction grammar
• From cognitive psychology to linguistics 4: Frequency, resemblance and the usage-based model

Assessment Proportions

• Essay: 60%
• Presentations: 40%

LING325: Topics in Phonetic and Phonological Theory

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

This module investigates some of the theoretical aspects to speech production and sound structure across the World's languages. We will spend time discussing and evaluating different frameworks for modelling phonetics and phonology, for example generative and usage-based approaches. Then, we will examine some case-study areas which challenge existing theories, for example the study of historical sound change. This course aims to contribute to questions such as 'How are groups of sounds structured so that we can understand language?' or 'How are sounds stored and processed in the mind?'

Educational Aims

Students should acquire or develop, beyond the level achieved in the second year on LING221 Sounds of the World's Languages:

• An understanding of the central concepts of modern linguistic theory in general and in particular a sound understanding of some current approaches to phonetic and phonological theories
• An understanding of the development of phonological theory within the context of 19th-21st century linguistics
• The ability to critically evaluate different approaches to phonetics and phonology
• The ability to evaluate the nature of the evidence used in support of each theory
• An understanding of different experimental techniques used in the investigation of theoretical concepts
• Independent critical thought
• The ability to assimilate fast large amounts of unfamiliar materials and critically reflect on them, and general analytical competence
• An understanding of the nature of empirical evidence
• Communication skills: ability to communicate ideas well to others, make oral presentations using prepared materials, participate in group discussions, write clearly and argue effectively
• Effective research skills, including the ability to use the library and IT resources in preparation of written work, and general computer literacy

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the main aims and approaches to different phonological theories
• Explain how theoretical approaches to phonetics/phonology developed within linguistics and other cognitive disciplines
• Evaluate the evidence used in support of different approaches
• Evaluate the nature of the experimental evidence in phonetic/phonological study
• Think critically about empirical evidence
• Express their ideas within a written and oral context
• Synthesise complex and advanced scientific papers
• Work individually and in a group
• Communicate ideas as part of a group discussion
• Communicate ideas effectively within a group presentation environment

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

Models and theories of phonology

Articulatory phonology

Types of sound change

Reasons for sound change

Phonological variation

Acquisition of phonology

Assessment Proportions

• Essay: 70%
• Presentation: 30%

LING326: Corpus-based English Language Studies

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits.
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

This course focuses on one of the most versatile and popular approaches to the exploration of the English Language: corpus linguistics. Currently, all English language dictionaries and most grammar books are based on corpus linguistic research. Corpus linguistics is a scientific discipline which uses specialised software and large amounts of linguistic data to investigate patterns in language and society. Lancaster University has a long tradition of corpus research – indeed, it is one of the places where corpus linguistics was born. In 2015, in recognition of the cutting-edge corpus research at Lancaster, Lancaster University was awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education.

The course's programme of lectures will begin with a detailed introduction to the method before moving on, later in the term, to discuss some of the most interesting applications of the method such as the study of sociolinguistics, discourse and online language. Meanwhile, lab-based seminars will allow students to acquire and exercise practical skills with the computational tools such as #LancsBox, a tool developed at Lancaster University which is now widely used in the field.

Educational Aims

Students should gain an understanding of the following issues:

• The role of computer-aided (corpus) analysis in linguistic research;
• Key corpus methods of linguistic analysis;
• The application of corpus methods to different areas of English Language Studies (e.g. lexical, grammatical, semantic and pragmatic analysis).

The module aims to develop students' ability to:

• Think rigorously and critically about the design of research questions and experimental/descriptive methods;
• Undertake analysis that links quantitative and qualitative modes of thinking and exploits computational research systems for a variety of purposes;
• Critically evaluate the details of a methodology and understand the limitations it places on the interpretation of evidence;
• Understand the role of statistics and statistical significance in research.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Select and collect textual data for corpus based analysis;
• Use current state-of-the-art software tools for corpus annotation and corpus based analysis;
• Apply, and understand the limitations of, a range of theoretical and methodological models to study of textual variation;
• Design, implement and report on their own research tasks;
• Develop analyses incorporating large sets of diverse, abstract data;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the role of statistics in supporting research findings of various kinds;
• Effectively communicate with regard to abstract and/or technical problems (within research and more generally)

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• Introduction to corpus linguistics
• Corpus techniques: frequency information and wordlists
• Corpus techniques: concordancing
• Corpus techniques: collocations
• Corpus types and corpus development
• Corpus approaches to sociolinguistics
• Corpus approaches to (critical) discourse analysis
• Corpus approaches to pragmatics
• Corpus approaches to online interaction

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Project: 40%

LING327: Language Variation and Change in English

• Terms Taught: Lent and Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits.
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

This module investigates how English varies at any given time and how it changes over time. It introduces you to the (socio)linguistic dimensions along which the language can vary and to the (extra)linguistic processes accounting for the ways in which it has changed. Attention is paid: to all domains of English, ranging from its sounds and structures to its usage; to the methods used by linguists to study variation and change in the language; and in particular to the close relationship between linguistic variation and change. The module covers key theoretical research in the field but also encourages you, especially in the seminars, to undertake your own data collection and to critically apply models and concepts presented in the lectures.

Educational Aims

Students are intended to:

• gain an understanding of the (socio)linguistic dimensions along which English can vary, of the (extra)linguistic processes accounting for change in English and of the relationship between variation and change in English;
• acquire critical knowledge of the central concepts, methods and research in the study of linguistic variation, linguistic change and the relationship between the two;
• develop the ability to apply this knowledge to the analysis of new data, including of their own collection, on variation in English alongside change in English;
• appreciate the pervasive nature of variation and change in all domains of English.

Students will also be able to:

• develop their skills of assimilating, summarizing and critically analyzing information from taught material and independent reading;
• advance their ability to summarize and compare conceptually based theoretical arguments;
• develop their ability to work independently and carry out independent research under supervision and guidance.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• Understanding regional variation
• Variationist approaches to gender
• Variation and social class
• Plasticity and lifespan change
• Linguistic variation and change
• Sound change
• Lexical and semantic change
• Morphosyntactic change
• Pragmatic change

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Essay: 40%

LING330: Language, Cognition and Culture

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only.
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Must have previously studied Linguistics and/or English Language.

Course Description

The module presents some of the latest topics and developments in language-related cognitive science with a focus on universals and variation in human language, culture and cognition. The module starts with an historical overview of paradigms committed to universalist versus relativist positions on language and thought. We consider some of the lines along which variation is found in languages and ask what this means for cognition. Rejecting the modular view of language that has been dominant until recently, we consider the interface between language, cognition and other modes of communication. We point specifically to the embodied and distributed nature of language, to gesture as an integral feature of spoken language, and to the fundamental role played by metaphor in structuring language and thought. The module then reconsiders the relationship between forms and meanings in linguistic sign systems showing that iconicity, e.g. in the form of sound symbolism, is much more extensive than previously thought and is not restricted to the phenomenon of onomatopoeia. From here, the module considers a number of ‘semiotic sites’ where the complex interplay between language, culture and cognition can be observed. We explore universals and variation in language and thought with respect to fundamental domains of experience including: colour and sensory perception, space, time and number. Throughout the module, there will be a focus on empirical data and experimental methods. Working in groups, students will be required to design and implement an experiment and to present the results of this experiment at the end of the module.

Educational Aims

Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students should acquire or develop:

- The ability to understand a range of basic and advanced concepts and terminology in the field of language, cognition and culture, and specifically relating to linguistic anthropology and the linguistic relativity hypothesis.

- An awareness and appreciation of the interaction between language, cognitive processes and cultural practices

- Knowledge and critical awareness of different methodological approaches to current issues in the field of language-related cognitive science.

Educational Aims: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students should acquire or develop:

- The ability to read, critically evaluate, and engage fully with state-of-the-art studies.

- The ability to present and discuss data in groups, and demonstrate a high level of effectiveness at individual and team working.

- The ability to carry out research effectively, including the use of library and IT resources, in the preparation of written work.

- The ability to produce clear academic prose, including sound argumentation.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

- Demonstrate an understanding of a range of basic and advanced concepts and terminology in the field of language, cognition and culture, and specifically relating linguistic anthropology and the linguistic relativity hypothesis.

- Demonstrate awareness and appreciation of the interaction between language, cognitive processes and cultural practices

- Demonstrate knowledge and critical awareness of different methodological approaches to current issues in the field of language-related cognitive science

- Demonstrate familiarity with research methods used to measure linguistic and non-linguistic cognitive behaviour cross-culturally

- Recognise and describe different linguistic and behavioural phenomena relating to language and thought.

- Synthesize information about language and cognition and apply it to the study of different cultures

Learning Outcomes: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

- Read, critically evaluate, and engage fully with state-of-the-art journal articles.

- Present and discuss data in groups, and demonstrate a high level of effectiveness at individual and team working.

- Carry out research effectively, making appropriate use of the library and IT resources.

- Produce clear academic writing, including sound argumentation.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

• iconicity in language
• multimodality
• colour
• sensory linguistics
• space
• time
• number

Assessment Proportions

• Essay: 70%

• Presentation: 10%

• Report: 20%