An introduction to linguistics

Dozent/in:

Geoffrey Haig

Angaben:

Seminar, 2 SWS, Schein, ECTS: 6, Gaststudierendenverzeichnis, Studium Generale, Modulstudium, Seminar für das Basismodul im BA-Nebenfach "Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft"

Termine:

Mo, 10:15 - 11:45, SP17/01.05

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

• No special prerequisites.
• The lecture will be in English.
• FlexNow-Anmeldung ab dem 01.04.

Inhalt:

In this course students will have an opportunity to try out the main skills of language analysis that are introduced in the lecture Introduction to Linguistics . Students will work intensively on example sets taken from a broad range of different languages, to discuss different analyses, and to evaluate different theoretical proposals. The course closes with a written test.

Methods in quantitative analysis

Dozent/in:

Geoffrey Haig

Angaben:

Seminar, 2 SWS, benoteter Schein, ECTS: 10, Studium Generale, Erweiterungsbereich, Seminar für das Mastermodul 4 "Sprachwissenschaftliche Methoden" im MA "General Linguistics", das Mastermodul PLing 5 "Methods in quantitative analysis" im Elite-MA "Cultural Studies of the Middle East" sowie das Vertiefungsmodul im BA-NF "Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft".

Termine:

Di, 10:15 - 11:45, SP17/01.05
Beginn in der zweiten Semesterwoche am 30.04.2019

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

• The lecture will be in English.
• FlexNow-Anmeldung ab dem 01.04.

ECTS-Informationen

• im Vertiefungsmodul (8-10 ECTS) gilt eine benotete schriftliche Hausarbeit (mind. 14 Seiten) als Leistungsnachweis
• im Mastermodul 2 (8 ECTS) gilt eine benotete schriftliche Hausarbeit (Umfang nach Absprache) als Leistungsnachweis
• im Mastermodul PLing 5 (5 ECTS) gilt eine benotete schriftliche Hausarbeit (mind. 10 Seiten) als Leistungsnachweis

Inhalt:

This course introduces students to empirical approaches in the social sciences, with a focus on linguistics. We will begin with considering the broader question of the nature of scientific knowledge, how it can be obtained, verified and evaluated. We then consider applications of quantitative methods in the humanities, with a particular focus on linguistics. Essential principles of empirical methodology will be discussed, including explicititness, accessibility and replicability. We then consider different tools for data collection, distinguishing (i) questionnaire (self-report) based methods, (ii) experimental methods, and (iii) analysis of naturalistic language or communicative behaviour (already existing ‘texts’, written or spoken). We will consider interview and recording techniques, and finally data analysis: the basic tools of descriptive statistics (measures of dispersal, range, and measures of significance and correlation), and some of the main options for data presentation and visualization. Students will be expected to complete regular assignments and to undertake practical data collections on a topic of their own choice. This course will be followed by an (optional) second course (Empirical methods, II), offered in the Winter term 2019/2020, which focuses on statistical methods of data analysis.

Sources will be made available on the VC before the Semester begins.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Rasinger, Sebastian. 2013. Quantitative research in linguistics. An introduction (2nd Edition). Bloomsbury: NY

Wray, Alison. 2013. Projects in linguistics and language studies. Routledge: Abingdon.

Referential Null Subjects (RNS, aka pro-drop): Typological and variationist approaches

Dozent/in:

Geoffrey Haig

Angaben:

Seminar, 2 SWS, benoteter Schein, ECTS: 10, Studium Generale, Erweiterungsbereich, Seminar für das Mastermodul 1 "Systemlinguistik" und das Mastermodul 2 "Sprachvariation und Sprachwandel" im MA "General Linguistics" sowie das Vertiefungsmodul im BA-NF "Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft".

Termine:

Mi, 14:15 - 15:45, SP17/01.05
Beginn in der zweiten Semesterwoche

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

• The lecture will be in English.
• Teilnahmevoraussetzung: Basismodul und Aufbaumodul 2 im BA-Nebenfach
• FlexNow-Anmeldung ab dem 01.04.

ECTS-Informationen

• im Vertiefungsmodul (8-10 ECTS) gilt eine benotete schriftliche Hausarbeit (mind. 14 Seiten) als Leistungsnachweis
• in den Mastermodulen 1 und 2 (6-8 ECTS) gilt eine benotete schriftliche Hausarbeit (Umfang nach Absprache) als Leistungsnachweis

Inhalt:

It is well-known that the languages of the world differ significantly in the extent to which they permit subject constituents to remain unexpressed. English, for example, requires most clauses to contain an overt subject constituent (most frequently a pronoun), while Spanish permits a far greater range of clauses without overt subject constituents. In the 1970's, this type of variation was claimed to be a major parameter of cross-linguistic variation, which permitted languages to be divided into two types: pro-drop (e.g. Spanish) and non-pro-drop (e.g. English). Over the decades since, this simplistic view of cross-language comparison has progressively been modified in favour of more refined typologies (with four or more sub-types), or been abandoned in favour of probabilistic approaches. But outside of theoretical syntax and language typology, the extent of Referential Null Subjects (pro-drop) within an individual language remains an exceedingly popular field of research in variationist approaches to language usage, with a particular focus on Spanish (across its many global varieties). In this course we will begin by considering the original motivations behind the pro-drop parameter, and the subsequent developments in theoretical syntax and typology. In particular, we will consider cross-linguistic data outside of the better-researched languages of western Europe. We will also consider the nature (if any) of the relation between pro-drop and agreement. In the second half of the course we will consider empirical approaches to pro-drop in the tradition of variationist sociolinguistics. Students will be required to complete regular reading assignments, to hold an oral presentation, and to complete a term paper.

Research colloquium

Dozent/in:

Geoffrey Haig

Angaben:

Kolloquium, 2 SWS, benoteter Schein, ECTS: 6, Englischsprachig, Kolloquium für das Forschungsmodul im MA "General Linguistics"

Termine:

Di, 16:15 - 17:45, SP17/01.18
Beginn in der zweiten Semesterwoche am 30.04.2019

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

• The lecture will be in English
• FlexNow-Anmeldung ab dem 01.04.

Inhalt:

The colloquium is primarily aimed at graduate students (MA and PhD candidates) who are working on a thesis, or are developing their research questions. Students will be expected to present their work, and engage with the other participants and the lecturer in discussions of key concepts in method and theory. Please contact the lecturer via email if you wish to attend, and give an indication of your research interests.
The colloquium is also open to interested linguists of all backgrounds who wish to participate in general exchange of ideas, and we may, depending on the programme, also be able to incorporate additional presentations; please check with the lecturer beforehand.

The languages and linguistics of the Middle East

Dozentinnen/Dozenten:

Geoffrey Haig, Lutz Edzard

Angaben:

Seminar, ECTS: 10, Gaststudierendenverzeichnis, Studium Generale, Erweiterungsbereich, Seminar für das Vertiefungsmodul (8 ECTS) im BA-NF "Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft" sowie Seminar für das Mastermodul 2 "Sprachvariation und Sprachwandel" (8 ECTS) im MA "General Linguistics" und das Mastermodul "PLing1" im Elite-MA "Kulturwissenschaften des Vorderen Orients"

Termine:

Mo, 14:15 - 15:45, SP17/01.18

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

• The lecture will be in English
• FlexNow-Anmeldung ab dem 01.04.

ECTS-Informationen

• im Vertiefungsmodul: 8 ECTS, Hausarbeit mit einem Mindestumfang von 14 Seiten.
• im Mastermodul 2 (8 ECTS) gilt ebenfalls eine benotete schriftliche Hausarbeit (Umfang nach Absprache) als Leistungsnachweis.

Inhalt:

This course presents an overview of the linguistic context of today’s Middle East, and lays down the conceptual framework for analysing linguistic diversity in the region. The first part introduces the early history of the region, before introducing the three main language groups currently spoken there: Turkic, Semitic (presented by Prof. Lutz Edzard), and Iranian. The concept of ‘language family’ and ‘genetic relatedness’ will be exemplified using data from these languages, and contrasted with the concepts of ‘typological similarity’, and ‘areal convergence’. We will also look at some of the lesser-known languages of the region, including Domari (Indo-Aryan) and Laz (Kartvelian), which do not belong to the three main groups. The second part considers different empirical approaches to the linguistics of the Middle East, illustrated with selected case-studies:

• Language contact
• Language policy and language ideologies in emergent nation states
• Language documentation
• Variationist sociolinguistics

Students will be required to hold an oral presentation (20 mins.) on a topic to be selected in consultation with the instructor, and to submit a term paper.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Haig, Geoffrey. 2017. Western Asia: East Anatolia as a transition zone. In: Hickey, Raymond (ed.) The Cambridge handbook of areal linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 396-423.
Hetzron, Robert. 2013. The Semitic languages. London: Routledge.
Johanson, Lars & Éva Csató (eds.). 2006. The Turkic languages. London: Routledge.
Thomason, Sarah. 2001. Language contact. An introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Windfuhr, Gernot (ed.). 2009. The Iranian languages. London: Routledge.

Workshop: Post-predicate constituents in Iranian

Dozent/in:

Geoffrey Haig

Angaben:

Projekt

Termine:

Blockveranstaltung, 5.9.2019 8:00 - 8.9.2019 18:00, SP17/01.19, SP17/01.05, SP17/01.18