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IMAGINING LANGUAGE

LIN1IML

2020

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

In this subject students will be introduced to the essential building blocks of language: the sounds and sound systems (phonetics and phonology), how words and sentences are structured (morphology and syntax) and how we understand meaning (semantics). Employing the analytical tools of linguistics, students will begin applying them to the development of a new language of their own imagining. The inspiration will come from a range of human languages, including natural languages, but also secret languages, ritual languages (for example the Aboriginal language Damin, or Polari spoken by members of the gay community in the UK) and constructed languages from TV (e.g. Dothraki and Valyrian in Game of Thrones , Belter Creole in The Expanse ), film (Na'vi from Avatar , and Elvish from Lord of the Rings ) and literature (Lapine from Watership Down and Newspeak from 1984 ).

School: Humanities and Social Sciences (Pre 2022)

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Lauren Gawne

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 1 - UG

Available as Elective: No

Learning Activities: N/A

Capstone subject: No

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Quota Management Strategy: N/A

Quota-conditions or rules: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Minimum credit point requirement: N/A

Assumed knowledge: N/A

Learning resources

For the Love of Language: An introduction to Linguistics

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Prescribed

Author: Kate Burridge and Tonya N. Stebbins

Year: 2016

Edition/Volume: N/A

Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS (Australia)

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Career Ready

Career-focused: No

Work-based learning: No

Self sourced or Uni sourced: N/A

Entire subject or partial subject: N/A

Total hours/days required: N/A

Location of WBL activity (region): N/A

WBL addtional requirements: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

COMMUNICATION - Communicating and Influencing
COMMUNICATION - Cultural Intelligence and Global Perspective
COMMUNICATION - Digital Capability
DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Creativity and Innovation
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Ethical and Social Responsibility

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic building blocks of language Phonetics (sounds), Phonology (sound systems), Morphology (meaningful elements), Syntax (the arrangement of meaningful elements), Semantics (meaning and context), and apply various techniques for analysing these
02. Analyse linguistic datasets using knowledge from the foundational areas of linguistics - phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics
03. Identify the ways in which language is imagined - creating new languages for ritual purposes, for communication between minority groups, or for artistry and entertainment. The subject will directly assess this in a background of the global linguistic diversity.
04. Create your own linguistic variety, employing features of Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology, Syntax and Semantics

Melbourne (Bundoora), 2020, Semester 2, Blended

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Lauren Gawne

Class requirements

LectureWeek: 31 - 43
One 1.00 hour lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.

TutorialWeek: 31 - 43
One 2.00 hours tutorial per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.

Assessments

Assessment elementCommentsCategoryContributionHurdle%ILO*

Assignment 1 (1600 words)This assignment will test the students knowledge of linguistic structures, sounds and sound systems (phonetics and phonology), how words and sentences are structured (morphology and syntax) and how we understand meaning (semantics). Data sets from a range of natural languages will be employed to assist students to learn about the range and diversity of human languages.

N/AN/AN/ANo40SILO1, SILO2

Assignment 2 (1600 words)This assignment will be in separate parts throughout the semester, but counting towards a single unit, which is the creation of an imagined or constructed language using the principles of linguistic structure as taught in the course, practiced in the tutorials and on-line engagement and in the on-line forums. The parts of the assignment will deal with sounds and sound systems (phonetics and phonology).

N/AN/AN/ANo40SILO1, SILO3, SILO4

Weekly Homework (800 words)Weekly homework in the form of on-line quizzes and some on-line short essays will test the students knowledge of linguistic structures, with an emphasis on examining the data and linguistic building blocks from the global diversity of human language.

N/AN/AN/ANo10SILO1, SILO2

Weekly Homework (800 words)Assessed on-line forum posts, in which students will be expected to post discussions on four topics relating to the creation of the language that they are imagining

N/AN/AN/ANo10SILO1, SILO3, SILO4