LING 3020 - Perspectives on Language Variation & Change

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2020

This is the capstone course for the Linguistics Major. All languages vary internally in accordance with a range of parameters including the gender, age, social class, occupation, origins etc. of their speakers. Most languages have distinct regional and social varieties. They also vary according to the contexts in which they are used and the purposes for which they are employed. All living languages constantly change over time in response to innovations introduced by younger generations, technological change or contact with other languages or with other varieties of the same language. Drawing on descriptive and analytic skills developed during their undergraduate study of linguistics, students will undertake independent study of language variation and change, assembling their own body of data either through archival, library, internet research or field research.

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Course Details

Course Code	LING 3020
Course	Perspectives on Language Variation & Change
Coordinating Unit	Linguistics
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	6
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week face-to-face + up to 6 on-line activity (MOOCS)
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Prerequisites	At least 15 units of Linguistics Major courses
Assumed Knowledge	LING 1101, LING 1102
Restrictions	Available to students undertaking a Linguistics Major only
Assessment	Linguistic practical (eg comparative method or text analysis) 20%, Oral presentation 20%, Research report 60%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Rob Amery

This course will be taught by Dr Ian Green

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Lectures: 10.10am till 11am Mondays (Lower Napier LG11)
Seminars: 11.10am till 1pm Fridays (Ligertwood 111)

Course Learning Outcomes

Understand the need for research ethics and complete an ethics clearance application
Collect and assemble a body of linguistic data for analysis
Understand the principles of sociolinguistic variation within a speech community
Understand how and why languages change over time
Apply the comparative method to a body of data drawn from a group of related languages
Apply a variety of analytic methods and approaches to a body of language data
Choose an appropriate method to analyse the body of data at hand
Communicate findings orally and in written form

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	3, 4
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	5, 6, 7
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	8
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	1, 2
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	1, 2
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	1, 2, 8

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Course Textbooks
Millar, Robert Mccoll; Trask, Larry (2015) Trask’s Historical Linguistics, Third Edition. Routledge, London. (available as e-book through
BSL)

Bowern, Claire. (2015) Linguistic Fieldwork: A Practical Guide. 2nd Edition. Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke, UK.

Recommended Resources

Highly Recommended:

·          Bowern, Claire. (2015) Linguistic Fieldwork: A Practical Guide. 2nd Edition. Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke, UK.

·          Crowley, Terry & Claire Bowern (2010) An Introduction to Historical Linguistics. 4th edition. Oxford University Press.

·          Campbell, Lyle (1998) Historical Linguistics: an introduction. MIT Press.

·          Trask, Larry (2013) Trask’s Historical Linguistics. 2nd edition. Routledge, Abingdon & New York.

·          Trudgill, Peter & Jack Chambers (2001) The Handbook of Language Variation and Change. Wiley Blackwell.

·          S. Bird and G. Simons (2003) “Seven dimensions of portability for language documentation and description.” Language 79:557-582.

·          N. Himmelmann (1998) “Documentary and descriptive linguistics." Linguistics 36:161-195.

·          Seifart, Frank, Geoffrey Haig, Nikolaus P. Himmelmann, Dagmar Jung, Anna Margetts and Paul Trilsbeek (eds) (2012) Potentials of Language Documentation Methods, Analyses and Utilization, Language Documentation & Conversation Special Publication No. 3. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

·          Gippert, Jost & Nikolaus P. Himmelmann & Ulrike Mosel (eds). 2006. Essentials of language documentation.
Trends in Linguistics, Studies and Monographs 178, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

·          Healy, Alan (ed.) (1975) Language Learner’s Field Guide. Summer Institute of Linguistics, Ukarumpa, Papua & New Guinea.

·          Journal: Language Documentation and Conservation

Some Introductory Linguistics Books:

·          Crystal, D. (2010) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language 3rd Edition. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. [BSL 403 C957c.2]

·          Clark, John, Yallop, Colin and Janet Fletcher (2007) An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology 3rd edition Blackwell Publishing, Malden, Oxford and Carlton, Victoria.

·          Payne, Thomas E. (2006) Exploring Language Structure: A Student’s Guide. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

·          Crowley, T., Lynch, J., Siegel, J. & Piau, J. (1995) The design of language: an introduction to descriptive linguistics. Longman Paul: Auckland. [BSL 410 C953d]

·          Finegan, E., Besnier, N., Blair, D., & Collins, P. (1992) Language: Its Structure and Use. (Australian Edition). Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: Sydney.

·          Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, Nina Hyams, Mengistu Amberber, Felicity Cox & Rosalind Thornton (2018) An Introduction to Language. Australia and New Zealand 9th Edition. Cengage Learning, South Melbourne.

·          McGregor, W. B. (2009) Linguistics: An Introduction. Continuum: London.

·          Burridge Kate & Tonya N. Stebbins (2016) For the Love of Language: An Introduction to Linguistics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Learning & Teaching Modes

No information currently available.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1 X 1hr lecture per week (X12)	12 hours
1 x 2-hour seminar/workshop per week (x12)	24 hours
6 hoursTranscription and Data Analysis per week (from Week 3)	66 hours
5 hours Reading per week (x13)	65 hours
6 hours Assignment Preparation per week (x13)	78 hours
5 hrs Research per week (X 13) + 2hrs	67 hours
Total	312 hours

Learning Activities Summary

No information currently available.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

TASK	TASK TYPE	WEIGHTING	DUE DATE	LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Research Ethics Assignment 1,000 words	Summative	15%	Due 7 Aug.	1, 2
Linguistic Practical 1,500 words	Summative	15%	Due 28 Aug.	3, 4, 5, 6
Oral Presentation and Write-up 1,500 words	Formative & Summative	20%	Weeks 8-12	8
Research Report 5,000 words	Summative	50%	Due 13 Nov.	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Assessment Detail

1. Research Ethics Assignment
Length: 1,000 words
Due Date: 9 August

Students will complete a research ethics application based upon a proposed investigation involving the collection of primary data through one or more of the following: conducting interviews, administering questionnaires, recording wordlists, elicited sentences, texts or conversations or conducting experiments.

2. Linguistic Practical
Length: 1,500 words
Due Date: 30 August

Apply the comparative method to a body of language data in order to reconstruct an earlier form of the language which might have given rise to the daughter languages under study.
Identify the sound changes which have taken place in each of the languages.

3. Oral Presentation and Write-up
Length: 1,500 words
Due Date: various (Weeks 8 to 12)

Students will need to assemble or access a body of language data that reveals variation or change. This might be varieties of language which deviate from the standard in significant ways. Or it might be data from two or more closely related languages, or indeed a large number of languages spread across a particular region. Students will identify one or more research questions formulated to interrogate the data. Research questions may focus on one or more aspects of the language(s) including phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, lexicon, child language, special registers, regional or social dialects etc. Students will present the data corpus and discuss their research question(s), and their chosen approach to research and to analyse the data.

4. Research Report
LEngth: 5,000 words
Due Date: 8 November

On the basis of data obtained, students will analyse and describe in detail the variation present or the evidence for language change. They will prepare a comprehensive research report which addresses their chosen research question(s). The report will be informed not only by their chosen body of data, but also by the literature relating to the aspect(s) of language under investigation.

Submission

1.        All assignments are to be submitted via MyUni.

2.        Ensure that the Course Title and Assignment Title & Topic appear on the cover sheet.

3.        All assignments must be typed and in grammatical English. Assignments must be double-spaced with a minimum 12 point font.

4.        Always keep a copy of your work. (Just occasionally things do go astray)

5.        Assignments submitted late require a doctor’s certificate, counsellor’s certificate or similar proof/documentation.

6.        Extensions (normally up to one week) MUST be organised prior to the due date. Application for Assessment
Extension forms may be found here: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/forms

7.        Penalty with no extension is 2% per day up to 7 days (including weekends and public holidays).

8.         Assignments which are more than 7 days overdue without an approved extension will not be accepted.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator