Course unit details:
Language Contact
| Unit code | LELA30292 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 3 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Offered by | Linguistics & English Language |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
This module provides an introduction to the study of language contact both as a process (the processing of different languages by multilingual individuals) and as a result (observed language change over time as a result of multilingual language use). Both aspects will be discussed on the basis of a range of case studies involving languages from around the world and different scenarios of multilingualism, covering phenomena such as code-switching, lexical and grammatical borrowing, and calquing (i.e. loan translation or "pattern borrowing"). We will also discuss the emergence of new languages - mixed languages and creole languages - as a result of language contact.
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Word and Sentence Structure | LELA10301 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Analysing Grammar | LELA20022 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Societal Multilingualism | LELA20102 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Typology | LELA20032 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| The Changing English Language | LELA20401 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Psycholinguistics | LELA20962 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Pre-req for LELA30292
At least one unit out of:
- LELA20021 Analysing Grammar;
- LELA20101 Societal Multilingualism;
- LELA20032 Typology;
- LELA20401 Changing English Language;
- LELA20962 Psycholinguistics–or comparable
Aims
Students will:
- obtain an overview of processes of contact-induced historical language change
- get an insight into the debate surrounding the formation of new languages due to language contact
- be able to describe the relationship between multilingual language use and contact-induced language change
- critically reflect on the concept of “language” as a delimited system
- learn to analyse relevant aspects of the phonology, grammar and semantics of a range of languages, including non-European languages
Knowledge and understanding
Students will
- be able to define some key conceptual notions in language contact such as “borrowing”,“code-switching”, and “creole genesis”
- link historical processes of contact-induced change to the processing of multiple languages by multilingual speakers
- apply these concepts to unseen data from familiar and unfamiliar languages
Intellectual skills
- interpreting data presented in different formats e.g. graphs, tables, sets of linguistics examples
- critical evaluation of the evidence and sources of data underlying theoretical claims
- identifying conceptual links between synchronic and diachronic phenomena
Practical skills
- analysis of multilingual conversations
- use of glosses and translations to analyse structures of unfamiliar languages
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- confidence in data analysis
- confidence in argumentation
- precise argumentation with reference to evidence
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Considerable emphasis will be placed on the interpretation and critical evaluation of data presented in various formats, e.g. graphs, tables, and sets of linguistic examples.
- Research
- The course content encourages students to critically reflect upon the world outside the university thereby providing confidence to use academic research in a variety of settings.
- Written communication
- The course will also provide key skills in critical analysis and in the dissemination of information to different audiences and therefore be of value for a range of career paths.
- Other
- The course will have particular benefits for any student interested in pursuing a career which involves teaching and learning, diversity management, intercultural communication and community cohesion. Students will arrive at an increased appreciation of multilingualism and linguistic diversity.
Assessment methods
| Assessment Task | Formative or Summative | Weighting (if applicable) |
| Online Quiz | Formative and Summative | 30% |
| Literature question and data analysis tasks | Formative | |
| On Campus exam | Summative | 70% |
Feedback methods
| Feedback method | Formative or Summative |
| Feedback on contributions and analyses presented during seminars | Formative |
| Written feedback on mid-term exam | Formative and Summative |
| Written feedback on final exam | Summative |
| Additional one-to-one feedback during consultation hours | Formative |
Recommended reading
- Bhatia, Tej K. & William C. Ritchie (eds.) 2013. The Handbook of Bilingualism and Multilingualism, Second Edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
- Hickey, Raymond (ed.) 2010. The Handbook of Language Contact. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
- Matras, Yaron. 2009. Language contact. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Winford, Donald. 2003. An introduction to contact linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Wei, Li. ed. 2000. The bilingualism reader. London: Routledge.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 16.5 |
| Seminars | 16.5 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 167 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Eva Schultze-Berndt | Unit coordinator |