Linguistics (LI)

Introduction to Linguistics is a foundational seminar designed to provide students with a general introduction to the study of languages and special areas of interest within linguistics including the structural, historical, psychological, and social aspects of language. Students will also be introduced to basic linguistics terminology found in academic literature.

Building on the introductory concepts covered in LI501, this course introduces the student to linguistic analysis of each sub-discipline critical to language description, including phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic analysis. Students will analyze a small selection of authentic language datasets using tools and analytical approaches taught in class.

In Phonological Analysis, students will learn how to analyze systematic sound patterns and processes within a language. Students will learn to identify phonetic distributions with a special focus on natural systems of phonology, including both articulatory and structural issues. Additionally, students will be introduced to basic concepts of suprasegmental properties, including stress, tone, pitch, and intonation.

Sociolinguistics & Intercultural Communication will give students an overview of how language relates to the society in which it was produced. The student will be able to articulate why certain languages are chosen as national or educational standards within a given society; to understand concepts and psychological factors at play in multi-lingual societies; to discern attitudes language speakers have toward time, social class, networks, and gender; and to discern attitudes toward particular languages by segments of world societies. Finally, students will prepare for ministry in cross-cultural settings by being introduced to practical communication insights in areas such as relationships, evangelism, discipleship, church planting, teaching, and conflict.

Students will be introduced to the study of language structure, encompassing the analysis of both the morphological and syntactic systems within a language. Student’s will be exposed to a variety of language typologies while investigating both word- and sentence-structure while obtaining an overview of constituency and grammatical relationships. This class will specifically cover Noun Phrases and related concepts such as noun classes, cases, and agreement types. Sub-constituencies such as Adjective Phrases and Determiners will also be covered in their relation to Noun Phrases.

LI702 is a continuation of what will be covered in LI701: using methodology introduced in LI701, students will be exposed to concepts associated with and beyond the Verb Phrase, including Tense, Aspect, and Modality and how they surface typologically. Clausal analysis will be introduced covering types of clauses as well as coordination and subordination. Students will also receive formal instruction on morphological analysis, investigating inflectional, derivational, and valence-changing morphology.

Semantics and Pragmatics examines the relationship between form and meaning in human language. We consider the rules for combining word meanings to derive sentence meanings in a predictable way; and we explore the principles which allow speakers to communicate more by uttering a sentence than is contained in the literal sentence meaning itself. We apply these concepts not only to content words but also to functional morphemes such as tense, aspect, and modality markers.

With a focus on the majority-world, this course will prepare students to make knowledgeable decisions and to select the most appropriate course of action for introducing speakers of other languages both to a written form of their own language or to a second language (English, Greek, Hebrew, etc.), for developing, testing, and implementing literacy curriculum with effective techniques and principles, and for launching a sustainable literacy program within a target culture. This course will also introduce students to basic methods of teaching and instruction.

With a focus on methodology and good praxis, this course will focus on answering the question of how to best conduct linguistic fieldwork outside of one’s own community. Spiritual, ethical, and practical concerns will be addressed in the process of teaching common elicitation and documentation practices. Students will be introduced to computer technology for managing and presenting linguistic data collected in linguistic field research, including applications such as FLEx, ELAN, and Praat.

This practicum will give students an opportunity to practice field method skills acquired in LI703. This practicum will be conducted in part in a cross-cultural setting whether domestically or internationally, relative to the student’s needs or aspirations and with administrative approval.