University of Sydney Handbooks - 2020 Archive

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Linguistics Descriptions

Semester 2 2020 unit of study availability

Some Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences units of study originally intended to run in Semester 2, 2020 are no longer available.

A full and up-to-date list of units of study available in Semester 2, 2020 from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, can be found on this webpage.
 

Linguistics

Major

A major in Linguistics requires 48 credit points from this table including:
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level core units
(ii) 12 credit points of 2000-level core units
(iii) 18 credit points of 3000-level selective units
(iv) 6 credit points of 3000-level Interdisciplinary Project unit

Minor

A minor in Linguistics requires 36 credit points from this table including:
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level core units
(ii) 12 credit points of 2000-level core units
(iii) 12 credit points of 3000-level selective units

1000-level units of study

Core

LNGS1001 Structure of Language

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2x1hr lectures/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Assessment: 5x250wd short assignments (40%), 1x1hr mid-term exam (20%), 1x2hr final exam (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit explores the fundamental properties of human language, with examples from languages spoken in every part of the world. We look at the sounds of human language: how the speech organs make them, and how different they can be across languages. We gain a detailed understanding of English consonants and vowels, and we learn how to transcribe them phonetically. We investigate the ways in which sounds can convey meanings, through the formation of words and sentences in English and many other languages. We see how and why English is different from Japanese, Swahili, German, or even Irish.
LNGS1002 Language and Social Context

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2x1hr lectures/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Assessment: 5x250wd short assignments (40%), 1x1hr 1000wd equivalent mid-term exam (20%), 1x2hr 2000wd equivalent Final exam (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit introduces the study of the interrelationship between language and society. It is concerned with phenomena of language change and how that leads to varieties in a language. How are these varieties linked to social differences? What distinguishes male speech from female speech or what are the linguistic styles of different social classes or ethnic groups? What is slang, or jargon, and what distinguishes a casual conversation from an interview?

2000-level units of study

Core
LNGS2601 Phonetics and Phonology

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2x1hr lecture/week, 1x 1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 6 credit points of 1000levelinLinguistics Prohibitions: LNGS2620 or LNGS2621 Assessment: 5x500wd assignment (60%), 1x2hr final exam (30%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Phonetics is the study of the physical properties of human speech. Phonology is the study of the representation and organization of sound in human language. This unit introduces students to these two core fields within linguistics, while also offering a brief overview of the phonetic and phonological diversity found in the world's languages. Basic phonological patterns are explored and students are given hands on practice in analysing these patterns.
LNGS2624 Grammar in the World's Languages

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 6 credit points of 1000levelinLinguistics Prohibitions: LNGS2602 Assessment: 6x500wd problem sets (60%), 1x2hr problem-based exam (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
All languages can be used to build meanings of roughly equivalent complexity, but they often do this in very different ways. This core unit focuses on morphology and syntax, exploring the nature of these aspects of language, and showing how they are related to other aspects of language such as discourse and the lexicon.

3000-level units of study

Selective
LNGS3601 Semantics - Meaning, Reference and Mind

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 in Linguistics or (18 credit points at 2000 or 3000 level in English or Australian Literature) Assessment: 1x500wd exercise (20%), 1x1000wd exercise (30%), 1x3000wd essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Semantics deals with the meaning of words, phrases, sentences and texts, and the relations between those meanings. Our goal is to explore the diversity of ways in which meaning can be expressed linguistically in different languages, as well as of what constitutes evidence for meaning.
LNGS3605 Describing a Language

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: LNGS2601 and LNGS2624 or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 1x1000wd equivalent tutorial paper (20%), 2x1000wd problem sets (30%), 1x3000wd Essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
A language other than English is chosen for analysis (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and discourse), and for description of the ways it is used (ethnography of speaking including speech acts, speech events, registers and genres). It is examined in its areal, genetic, historical, social and typological context. We also examine sources of data and their reliability, and the way findings are presented (reference and teaching grammars and linguistic papers).
LNGS3607 Genre and Register

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Professor James Martin Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture/week, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 1x1200wd genre staging exercise (15%), 1x1000wd field analysis (20%), 1x1000wd mode analysis (20%), 1x1000wd tenor analysis (20%), 1x1800wd contrastive text analysis (25%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit will focus on the analysis of genre and register, from a functional linguistics perspective. The issue of modelling genre relations will be examined in detail, including typological and topological approaches. Register analysis will be considered from the perspective of well studied registers such as analysts. Attention will also be given to qualitative and quantitative techniques, and to multi-modal analysis (including verbiage, image, music).
LNGS3608 Computers, Discourse, Language

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: LNGS1001 and LNGS1002 and LNGS2624 Assessment: 1x1000wd corpus design and building (20%), 1x1000wd corpus analysis (20%), 1x2500wd research report (60%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
'Language looks different when you look at a lot of it at once.' This unit of study introduces you to the use of computer software to look at a lot of language at once: Do we refer to 'men' and 'women' equally often? What are the five most frequent words in the English language? What is the difference between 'pure' and 'sheer'? How does television dialogue differ from real-world dialogue? And how does a computer help us to answer these and similar questions?
LNGS3609 Text and Context

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2x1hr lectures/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: LNGS2601 and LNGS2624 or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 1x1000wd discourse analysis (20%), 1x1000wd discourse analysis (20%), 1x2500wd Essay (60%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Discourse analysis is concerned with analysing how people create meaning(s) in a given social context. In this unit students will learn to apply linguistic methods to the analysis of discourse. 'Discourse' includes both spoken and written language as well as images. Students will learn to apply a range of advanced linguistic methods to explore different discourse varieties and to study their organisation above the sentence level. A particular focus will be on the kinds of insights provided by different analytical techniques.
LNGS3610 Language Change and Variation

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2-hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Corequisites: LNGS2601 Prohibitions: LNGS2612 Assessment: 1x4000wd staged research task (60%), 2x1000wd problem sets (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Through the study of seminal research in sociolinguistics the student is introduced to the methodology and tools used for the study of linguistic variation. The unit looks at variation and change across all the primary areas of the grammar: phonetic and phonological, lexical, syntactic semantic change and variation looking at the seminal research in each areas. Students will undertake an independent research project into a topic of variation observed in Australian English.
LNGS3612 Dynamics of Sound

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: LNGS2601 and LNGS2624 or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 3x1000wd assignment (50%), 1x3000wd essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Language is a dynamic system, under constant pressures and continually evolving. Sounds and sound systems of human languages are incredibly diverse yet at the same time there are identifiable principles or factors that seem to constrain the diversity found in the phonetic and phonological systems of language. This unit examines sound systems in language, from a holistic point of view, looking at phonetic and phonological properties of sounds. Techniques are introduced to help analyse linguistic sound systems in terms of synchronic patterns and also their diachronic development.
LNGS3613 Advanced Morphology and Syntax

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2x1hr lecture/week Prerequisites: LNGS2601 and LNGS2624 or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 4x750wd problem-based assignments (50%), 1x3000wd essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This elective unit explores issues and challenges at an advanced level in the analysis of word and sentence structure, and introduces a range of formal and functional models developed for the description and analysis of complex morphological and syntactic issues.
LNGS3696 Multilingualism

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in the Linguistics major Assessment: 1x3000wd staged multi-platform research project (50%), 1x2000wd final paper (30%), 2x500wd reflection/ impact writing (20%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit addresses various aspects of multilingualism, focusing on the socio-political dimension, exploring areas including languages in contact, language maintenance, shift and endangerment, language policy, and education. It aims to provide a nuanced understanding and appreciation of diversity and multilingualism, and their significance not just for linguistic study but also for policy, education, socialisation, and sustainability.
LNGS3699 Linguistics Research Issues

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics with a Credit Average Assessment: 1x6000wd research paper which will be done in stages and reported on through each stage and presented formally in seminar (100%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This advanced seminar aims to prepare students for independent research in linguistics through critical reading and discussion of current issues and approaches in theory, data, methodologies, and criticism in linguistics and related research domains.
LNGS3700 Language Diversity and Universals

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 1x 1500wd Midterm essay (20%), 1x 2500wd Final essay (40%), 4x 500wd Assignment (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Human languages show a great range of diversity in every level of structure: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and more. Yet at the same time this diversity is constrained by universal or near-universal properties. This unit examines the nature and extent of diversity in the world's languages, exploring how this diversity can be best described, analysed, and explained. Principles of Language Typology and techniques for discovering patterns and generalizations are introduced. Explanations for diversity and universals are considered.
LNGS3701 Functional Grammar

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 5x 800wd Assignment (50%), 1x 30mins Exam (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit takes a functional view of grammar, considering the ways in which English is organised to build up our picture of reality, to enable us to interact in conversation and to make our contribution coherent and relevant. It is designed to give students skills in the analysis of ideational, interpersonal and textual meaning in the clause, the nature of inter-clausal relations, and the structure of nominal, verbal and adverbial groups and prepositional phrases.
LNGS3702 Pragmatics - Meaning in Use

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Linguistics Assessment: 1x 3000wd Essay (50%), 1x 750wd Exercise (25%), 1x 750wd Exercise (25%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Pragmatics explores interactions of meaning and context in discourse. This unit of study introduces students to some important topics in pragmatics research: reference and speech acts, non-literal language, the role of inference and reasoning in discourse, politeness, conversation, and the ethnography of speaking.
ITLN3685 Linguistic Issues in Migration

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2x1hr seminars/week Prerequisites: ITLN2611 or ITLN2612 or ITLN2631 or ITLN2632 or ITLN3611 or ITLN3612 or ITLN3631 Prohibitions: ITLN3754 Assessment: Seminar participation (10%), 1xOral Presentation (equivalent to 1500wds) (20%), 1x1500wd class test (20%), 3xTake-home assignments (equivalent to 1000wds in total) (20%), 1x2000wd final Essay (30%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit of study examines the main linguistic phenomena that occur in the contact between majority and minority languages in a context of migration, using the Italo-Australian community as a case.

Interdisciplinary project unit

Where this major is being completed as a first major towards a degree, students should ensure that the Interdisciplinary Impact unit of study is undertaken.
Where this major is being completed as a second major from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences towards a degree, the Industry and Community Project unit of study is the appropriate unit to select.
LNGS3999 Interdisciplinary Impact

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive December,Intensive July,Semester 1,Semester 2 Prerequisites: Completion of at least 90 credit points Prohibitions: Interdisciplinary Impact in another major Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Interdisciplinarity is a key skill in fostering agility in life and work. This unit provides learning experiences that build students' skills, knowledge and understanding of the application of their disciplinary background to interdisciplinary contexts. In this unit, students will work in teams and develop interdisciplinarity skills through problem-based learning projects responding to 'real world problems'.
LNGS3998 Industry and Community Project

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive February,Intensive July,Semester 1,Semester 2 Corequisites: Interdisciplinary Impact in any major. Mode of delivery: Block mode
This unit is designed for third year students to undertake a project that allows them to work with one of the University's industry and community partners. Students will work in teams on a real-world problem provided by the partner. This experience will allow students to apply their academic skills and disciplinary knowledge to a real-world issue in an authentic and meaningful way.