Elements of Linguistics - Sound, Structure and Meaning

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• how to analyse contemporary English sounds, words, and sentences using linguistic techniques
• systematic approaches required in linguistic study
• foundational concepts in phonetics, phonology, morphology, lexis, syntax, semantics and pragmatics
• how sound, structure and meaning work in language
• the key analytical tools used in linguistics (phonetic transcription, syntactic 'tree' diagrams) and the reasons for using them

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• demonstrate properties of syntactic phrases and how sentence structure is formed
• analyse extracts of language to identify how meaning is constructed both by formal properties and contextual factors
• transcribe English phonetically using the IPA
• isolate and identify sounds in language

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• convey ideas in a structured, coherent manner
• demonstrate understanding of elements of theory and the arguments used to support them
• abstract and synthesise information, organising the results appropriately
• produce writing in an appropriate genre and to required conventions, including referencing

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• critically appreciate some key concepts in linguistics
• define, present and exemplify concepts in linguistics, applying them to linguistic data from English in the first instance
• engage with theory and academic practice in linguistics
• analyse and present linguistic data

This module concentrates on sound, structure and meaning in the branches of linguistics known as phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Particular attention will be given to providing you with the tools necessary for the analysis of language, from its sounds, to its words, its sentences, discourse features and beyond.

Foundational concepts of the subdisciplines of linguistics are introduced each week, focusing on linguistic units of different shapes and sizes, from the properties of individual sounds, to syllables, morphemes, words, phrases, sentences, and discourse.

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include:

• 1 lecture per week
• 1 seminar per week

The lectures serve to introduce, explain and explore key aspects of each of the sections of the module.

The seminars are intended to apply the knowledge in the form of exercises in language analysis. One of the main aims of this module is to equip students with some of the key tools of the trade in linguistic analysis (e.g. IPA representation of sounds in phonetics, 'tree diagram' representation of sentences in syntax), so the seminars focus on ‘demonstrating and doing’.

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Hazen, Kirk (2015). An Introduction to Language. Wiley-Blackwell.

Trask, Robert L. (2007). Language and linguistics: the key concepts. London: Routledge.

Hudson, Richard (1984). Invitation to Linguistics. Blackwell.

Fromkin, Victoria, Rodman, Robert, and Hyams, Nina (2018). An Introduction to Language. Thomson Wadsworth.

Radford, Andrew, Atkinson, Martin, Britain, David, Clahsen, Harald and Spencer, Andrew (2009). Linguistics: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Yule, George (2010). The Study of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External