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Unit of study_

LNGS2611: Language in Indigenous Australia

2021 unit information

The unit of study examines the Indigenous languages of Australia. How many languages are there? What do they sound like and how are words and meanings structured? We explore how language reflects the society that uses them and the physical environment. We will also see that new Aboriginal languages have emerged, apparently moribund languages have been gaining strength and distinctive Aboriginal ways of talking have survived and influenced English. Students will be exposed to language through Indigenous guest lecturers and will undertake exercises that highlight issues of cross-cultural communication and aspects of language use in different social situations.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Linguistics

Code LNGS2611
Academic unit Linguistics
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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24 credit points
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. analyse and appreciate the roles of Australian Indigenous languages in contemporary Australian society
  • LO2. understand the various Australian language spelling systems and their rationale
  • LO3. be able to pronounce words in various Australian language orthographies correctly
  • LO4. demonstrate knowledge of phonological, grammatical structures and semantic properties of one or more Australian Indigenous languages
  • LO5. articulate understanding of the context of language contact in Australia with respect to multilingualism, pidgins, creoles, mixed languages and varieties of Aboriginal English
  • LO6. effectively communicate about a range of topics related to Indigenous languages in Australia
  • LO7. critically use texts and other resources (from academia or the media) to develop and sustain ideas about Indigenous languages and their roles
  • LO8. understand, describe and apply ethical considerations regarding working with Indigenous people when conducting research on their languages and cultural practices.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

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There are no availabilities for this year.
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote

Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.