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SP-216: Introduction to Language Science and Linguistics (2E)

Course Information

Course, prefix, number, & title: SP-216 Introduction to Language Science and Linguistics (2E)

Hours (Class, recitation, Laboratory, studio): 3

Credits: 3

Course Description in college catalog:

This course is an introductory survey of linguistics, the discipline that studies natural language phenomena, and the methods of investigations used in linguistic research. The course introduces students to the fundamental aspects that all languages share and how languages differ with respect to their sound (phonetics), structure (phonology, morphology, syntax), meaning (semantics), context (pragmatics), change (historical and sociolinguistics), and acquisition and language policy.

Academic programs for which this course serves as a requirement or an elective:

A.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Communications Concentration

General Education Outcomes: Below is a listing of General Education Outcome(s) that this course supports.

  1. Communicate effectively in various forms

  2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make informed decisions

  3. Reason quantitatively as required in various fields of interest and in everyday life

Course-specific student learning outcomes:

  • Student will understand and articulate general issues concerning the nature and functions of language. These include the basic mechanisms common to all languages: the domains of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

  • Students will learn how to compare and contrast languages in terms of systematic differences in phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

  • Students will analyze specific sounds and understand systematic properties of sound system of English

  • Students will recognize and analyze the grammatical system of English and other languages.

  • Students will analyze the structure and function of language as used in natural discourse.

  • Students will collect and analyze speech data to use as empirical evidence to support or refute linguistics theories, hypotheses and findings

  • Students will understand how language policies are made, who gets to make them and how language policy decisions influence the right to use and maintain languages, affect language status and determine which languages are encouraged or discouraged.

Program-specific outcomes

  • Students will be able to apply research methods and analysis techniques commonly used in linguistics to investigate questions and perform research analyses in the communication studies field

Methods by which student learning will be assessed and evaluated; describe the types of methods to be employed; note whether certain methods are required for all sections:

Weekly assignment (50%)

Written Midterm (15 %)

Written Final (15%)

Individual Project on American English Dialects (20%)

Academic Integrity policy (department or College):
Academic honesty is expected of all students. Any violation of academic integrity is taken extremely seriously. All assignments and projects must be the original work of the student or teammates. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any questions regarding academic integrity should be brought to the attention of the instructor. The following is the Queensborough Community College Policy on Academic Integrity: "It is the official policy of the College that all acts or attempted acts that are violations of Academic Integrity be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. At the faculty member's discretion and with the concurrence of the student or students involved, some cases though reported to the Office of Student Affairs may be resolved within the confines of the course and department. The instructor has the authority to adjust the offender's grade as deemed appropriate, including assigning an F to the assignment or exercise or, in more serious cases, an F to the student for the entire course." Read the University's policy on Academic Integrity opens in a new window.

Disabilities
Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation based upon the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility Services in Science Building, Room S-132, 718-631-6257, to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. You can visit the Office of Accessibility Services website.

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