Inside Language

REVISED

Spring 2012 quarter

Faculty

Diego de Acosta linguistics

Fields of Study

communications, language studies and linguistics

Preparatory for studies or careers in

communications, language studies, and linguistics.

Description

What do you know when you know a language, and how do you get that knowledge? Are there properties that all languages share? How do languages change over time? Why are half of the world’s languages now under threat of extinction? How are communities held together or torn apart by the languages they speak?

This one-quarter program explores the fascinating world of languages through the lens of linguistics. Topics for the quarter include: the structure of languages (phonology, morphology, and syntax); the history of English and English dialects; language attitudes and language policy in monolingual and multilingual communities; and methods for documenting languages. We will look at well-known languages and lesser-known languages and discover why they matter in our lives today. Through the course of the program, we will develop a variety of conceptual and empirical techniques, from analyzing speech sounds to interpreting the rationale behind current language legislation. This program will be an intensive examination of topics requiring a significant amount of reading as well as regular problem sets and essays.

Students who took Inside Language in fall-winter may not enroll in this program.

Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Enhanced Online Learning

Books

Greener Store

Offered During

Day

Program Revisions