Linguistics and Language Acquisition

This course gives students an introduction to central areas related to the study of modern English language, for example morphology, semantics, syntax, phonetics, phonology and pragmatics. The course also gives an introduction to first and second language acquisition. The different aspects of the language system and language acquisition are dealt with through discussions of basic ideas and themes within the above-mentioned subject areas. The course provides students with the concepts and ideas used to describe and analyse linguistic phenomena of the English language.

Knowledge

Candidates who have passed this course

• have basic theoretical insight into the system of language.
• have basic knowledge of at least three of the four main subfields of linguistic analysis (phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics/pragmatics) as these relate to the study of the modern English language.
• have basic theoretical knowledge about first and second language acquisition

Skills

Candidates who have passed this course

• can account for basic concepts and ideas and linguistic terminology commonly used to describe and analyse the English language.
• can apply some basic linguistic terms and concepts to describe and analyse English language data.
• are able to read academic articles in English within the fields covered in the course

The course offers online teaching in a 13-week period. The course has 4 obligatory assignments, that can be oral and/or written. The obligatory assignments cover various aspects of the course, and students are given feedback on these and offered supervision. The course blog and discussion forum are actively used for course-related interaction.

Other

This is a fully online course. Information pertaining to access to the course is sent to the email address registered for the student. All communication throughout the run of the course will take place on the course site and learning platform, and NTNU's student email. Students are required to follow all communication channels used by the course.

Students need access to an updated computer and a good internet connection. Students need access to the necessary equipment for online meetings and to record sound and video in an audiovisual presentation.