Specific typological analyses: Morphology and Syntax

Teacher(s)

Sabel Joachim;

Language

English
> French-friendly

Prerequisites

Students should have attended a course of introduction to linguistics, in which methods of grammatical description were taught. The course LGERM2719 is a good preparation.

Main themes

Syntactic and morphological typology (see contents)

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

recognize and classify linguistic variation according to the parameters responsible for grammatical variation; present the methodology of typological analyses; present the differences of linguistic variation, i.e., complex linguistic phenomena systematically and clearly; argue linguistically stringent; present linguistic content adequately in the context of a scientific presentation; argue linguistically in the context of a discussion.

Content

In this course, we examine the question of what are the central differences and similarities among the grammars of the world’s languages, and how to explain variation and universality both historically (diachronic linguistics) and systematically (synchronic linguistics). We study the problem empirically by means of some concrete grammatical phenomena and their realization in the three “largest” language families (Indo-European, Bantu and Austronesian languages): sentence types (interrogative sentences, declarative sentences, imperatives, …) word order (SOV, VOS, SVO, …), difference between active/passive, information structure (focus, topic ((background)), verbal morphology, derivational morphology.

Teaching methods

Lecture, which requires active participation of  students, in the form of a processing of exercises and reading of scientific texts. In addition, each participant gives a presentation on one of the seminar topics at the end of the course.

Evaluation methods

The examination is based on the oral presentation and its written elaboration and on the basis of the discussion following the presentation, during which the student has to answer questions about his presentation. Presentations will last approximately 30 minutes and will take place during the last session or last two sessions of the course.

Online resources

The literature for the course is provided on moodle.
In addition to the original texts, which are also the basis for the students’ presentations, a syllabus is provided, which is also the basis for the lecture and in which the basics aand background of the topics are explained.
In addition, a document is provided explaining the basics, working methods and methods for preparing a scientific presentation (and argumentation) in linguistics.

Bibliography

Syllabus J. Sabel (2022) Diversity of languages. Developments and types of language variation.

Faculty or entity

ELAL