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Module Content

This module is an introductory survey of linguistics, focusing on natural language phenomena, and the methods and findings of linguists seeking to understand them.

Teaching Delivery

Teaching is delivered via a weekly two-hour lecture.

Indicative Topics

Indicative lecture topics are based on module content in 2023/24, subject to possible changes.

We will address the following subdomains of linguistics during the course: Phonetics (physical properties of language forms, e.g. sounds), Phonology (the psychological representation of language forms), Morphology (how language forms combine to form words), Syntax (how words combine to form phrases and sentences), Semantics (the meanings of words, phrases, and sentences), Pragmatics (how sentences are used in context), Language Acquisition (how languages are learned by children and adults), Sociolinguistics (how language is affected by social context) and Language and the Brain (how language is processed in the brain and language disorders).

Module Aims and/or Objectives

The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of language structure and use, as well as some of the major theoretical issues in linguistics. The module is delivered with weekly two-hour lectures and weekly one-hour backups. At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• describe aspects of language structure and use at levels of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics;

• explain key properties of how language is acquired;

• describe key ways in which language is affected by social context;

• describe key properties of how language is processed in the brain and language disorders