Universität Wien

143260 PS Linguistic Diversity & Analysis (2025S)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 14 - Orientalistik, Afrikanistik, Indologie und Tibetologie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Mo 28.04. 15:00-17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 03.03. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 10.03. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 17.03. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 24.03. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 31.03. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 07.04. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 05.05. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 12.05. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 19.05. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 26.05. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 02.06. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 16.06. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 23.06. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
  • Monday 30.06. 15:00 - 17:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

With approximately 7,000 languages spoken globally, what unites them, and how do they differ? This course delves into these questions by examining core linguistic concepts, including sound systems (phonology), word structure (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), meaning (semantics), and language use in context (pragmatics). Topics such as phonological rules and analysis, morphological analysis, question formation, subjects, objects, tense systems, and pronominal systems will be explored. We will also address sociolinguistic phenomena, including language contact, shift, loss, revival, multilingualism, and the development of pidgins and creoles, alongside critical issues in language policy. Students will enhance their analytical skills through engagement with diverse examples and data drawn from African and global languages. Assessment will emphasize written and oral presentations, allowing students to share their findings on a range of linguistic topics. This course offers a comprehensive exploration and analysis of the rich diversity of human language and its sociocultural dynamics.

Course Questions and Broad Learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

- Explore and analyze the core linguistic concepts of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
- Apply phonological and morphological analysis to identify rules and patterns in sound systems and word structures.
- Examine sentence structures, including question formation, subjects, objects, tense systems, and pronominal systems, across languages.
- Analyze sociolinguistic phenomena such as language contact, shift, and loss.
- Enhance analytical skills through engagement with linguistic data from African and global languages.
- Develop and present written and oral analyses on linguistic topics, showcasing research findings effectively.
- Gain an appreciation for the diversity of human languages and their sociocultural dynamics.

Course Format: There is one lecture a week. The lecture sessions will include structured individual activities, structured group activities, and group discussions.
Mode of delivery: Lectures will be hybrid (in-person/online).

Assessment and permitted materials


Students’ work is evaluated in terms of factual accuracy, ability to apply concepts and tools to new situations and to make your own connections, and ability to present materials with clarity, simplicity, and following professional and scholarly standards. This is not a highly difficult course to pass, but to get a high grade (e.g., 2 or 1) you need to demonstrate strong creative ability in linguistics, not just remember and understand the information presented in class.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

15% Participation: 5% for attendance, 10% for participation in class
40% Assignments: short answer questions, problem solving.
30% Midterm (Data analysis and presentation)
15% End of term (group) presentation (on chosen linguistic topics)

Students’ work is evaluated in terms of factual accuracy, ability to apply concepts and tools to new situations and to make your own connections, and ability to present materials with clarity, simplicity, and following professional and scholarly standards. This is not a highly difficult course to pass, but to get a high grade (e.g., 2 or 1) you need to demonstrate strong creative ability in linguistics, not just remember and understand the information presented in class.

The table below provides the grade breakdown for final grade according to the University grading policy.

Grade Grade points Interpretation
1 89-100 Very good
2 76-88 Good
3 63-75 Satisfactory
4 51-62 Sufficient
5 0-50 Fail

Examination topics


Proposed course schedule (to be revised and organized in terms of weekly basis)
 Introduction and fundamental concepts
 Language evolution
 Phonological structure/analysis
 Morphological structures/analysis
 Syntactic structures/analysis
 Semantics
 Pragmatics: Language and communication; speech acts, referentiality
 Sociolinguistics: language and communities, Language variation and change, words and culture, gender and sexuality, solidarity and politeness; language and ethnicity, etc
 Language contact: multilingualism, pidgins, creoles, language shift/change/loss/revival

Reading list

Aronoff, M., & Rees-Miller, J. (Eds.). (2020). The handbook of linguistics. John Wiley & Sons.
Comrie, B. (2017). Languages of the world. The handbook of linguistics, 21-38.
Haspelmath, M., Dryer, M. S., Gil, D., & Comrie, B. (2005). The world atlas of language structures. OUP Oxford.
Hurford, J., Heasley, B., & Smith, M. (2007). Semantics: A Coursebook (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511841668
Katzner, K., & Miller, K. (2002). The languages of the world. Routledge.
Mufwene, S., & Escobar, A. (Eds.). (2022). The Cambridge Handbook of Language Contact: Volume 2: Multilingualism in Population Structure (Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781009105965
Mufwene, S., & Escobar, A. (Eds.). (2022). The Cambridge Handbook of Language Contact: Volume 1: Population Movement and Language Change (Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781316796146
Pereltsvaig, A. (2020). Languages of the World: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108783071
Vossen, R., & Dimmendaal, G. J. (Eds.). (2020). The Oxford handbook of African languages. Oxford University Press, USA.
Wilson, C., & Mihalicek, V. (2011). Language files: Materials for an introduction to language and linguistics. Columbus, UH: Ohio State University Press. https://linguistics. osu. edu/research/pubs/lang-files→ pages x, 49, 83.

Association in the course directory

PAS 1, PAS 2

Last modified: Th 20.02.2025 16:46