Disciplines and areas of study
Linguistics
Program Coordinator: Professor Randy J. LaPolla.
Linguistics, broadly defined, is the analytical study of language and communication. It is concerned with human language in general, as well as with the structure of individual languages. As a discipline, it examines the design of language, how language relates to thought, how it functions in communication, how it functions in society, how it develops and changes, and how it is acquired and learned.
The main branches of study include applied (the application of linguistics to other domains such as teaching), historical (the study of language change), morphology (the study of word formation), phonetics (the study of sounds), phonology (the study of sound systems and syllable structure), psycholinguistics (the study of child language acquisition and processing), semantics (the study of meaning), sociolinguistics (the sociology of language and the study of variation in language related to social function), syntax (the study of sentence formation), and discourse analysis (the study of the organisation of language in communication).
The Linguistics Program emphasises basic techniques of description and analysis, empirically based inductive theoretical linguistics and applications of linguistics. The staff has expertise in a wide range of language areas. These include Australian Aboriginal languages; English (including Australian and other varieties of English); European languages; and the languages of China, South East Asia, and Papua New Guinea.
Linguistics is of interest to students of languages, archaeology, history, cognitive science, computer science, English, philosophy, politics, psychology, anthropology, gender studies, and sociology. Knowledge of linguistics is particularly useful for students interested in foreign and native language teaching. Students who are qualifying for a degree with a major in Aboriginal studies, Ancient Greek, archaeology, Asian studies, Australian studies, Chinese, cognitive science, Italian studies, Japanese, logic, or philosophy should note that some linguistics units might be credited to such majors. Students who would find a knowledge of English grammar of use in careers such as teaching should consider taking LIN1NLA The Nature of Language and Communication A, LIN1NLB The Nature of Language and Communication B and LIN2EUG/LIN3EUG English: a user’s guide. The Linguistics Program welcomes part-time students and offers lectures and tutorials after 5pm in the first year units.
Programs of study
To qualify for a major in linguistics, a student must take 130 credit points in the discipline: 30 at first year level, 40 at second year level, and 60 at third year level. The 130 credit points must normally include the two first year units LIN1NLA The Nature of Language and Communication A and LIN1NLB The Nature of Language and Communication B, and the second or third year units LIN2LIS/LIN3LIS Language in Society, LIN2PHP/LIN3PHP Phonetics and Phonology, LIN2SEM/LIN3SEM Semantics and Pragmatics, and LIN2SYN/LIN3SYN Syntax. The first year units serve as prerequisites for most higher level linguistics units. The third year version involves a more demanding set of assignments and essay topics.
| Teaching period | Unit title | Unit code |
|---|---|---|
| First year units (15 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1 | The Nature of Language and Communication A3 | LIN1NLA |
| TE-SEM-2 | The Nature of Language and Communication B3 | LIN1NLB |
| Second or third year units (20 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1 | Cross-cultural Communication | LIN2CCC/LIN3CCC |
| TE-SEM-1 | Language Across Time | LIN2LAT/LIN3LAT |
| TE-SEM-1 | Phonetics & Phonology: the sounds of language3 | LIN2PHP/LIN3PHP |
| TE-SEM-1 | Syntax: the relationship between meaning and structure3 | LIN2SYN/LIN3SYN |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Phonetics | LIN2ADP/LIN3ADP |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Phonology1 | LIN2APH/LIN3APH |
| TE-SEM-2 | Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition1 | LIN2BSA/LIN3BSA |
| TE-SEM-2 | English: a user’s guide | LIN2EUG/LIN3EUG |
| TE-SEM-2 | Language in Asia1 | LIN2LIA/LIN3LIA |
| TE-SEM-2 | Language in Society3 | LIN2LIS/LIN3LIS |
| TE-SEM-2 | Semantics and Pragmatics: the relationship between meaning and use3 | LIN2SEM/LIN3SEM |
| Third year units (20 credit points) | ||
| TE-SEM-1 | Discourse Analysis | LIN3DAS |
| TE-SEM-1 | Reading Course A2 | LIN3RCA |
| TE-SEM-2 | Reading Course B2 | LIN3RCB |
- Key: 1 Not available in 2008.
- 2 Special prerequisites apply.
- 3 Core units.
Honours
The Linguistics Program welcomes applications from suitably qualified students for honours and postgraduate study in linguistics. Students wishing to enter the fourth year honours course in linguistics should normally have completed at least a 130-credit point major with a B average. Students who have not fulfilled this requirement should see the Honours Year Coordinator.
The Linguistics Honours Program consists of two coursework components and a thesis of 15000 words. A leaflet giving details of the honours program is available from the program office.
A full description of these units (including the unit name, unit code, credit points, campus/location, unit coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites, and readings) appears below. For the most recent descriptions of all units, please access the unit database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.