306A F21 Forrester | English Language and Literature

University of Waterloo

Department of English Language and Literature

ENGL 306A - Introduction to Linguistics

Instructor: Dr. Clive Forrester

Virtual Class time: Wednesdays, 1-2:20pm via Microsoft Teams

Office hours: By appointment

Email: clive.forrester@uwaterloo.ca

Course Description:

This course introduces students to the foundational areas in the field of linguistics. Linguists study the quintessential human trait - language - and situate their inquiry within areas of research as diverse as human cognition and development, language learning and teaching, and critical theory. This course is designed to give participants a brief overview of the structural components of language (such as the sounds, syntax, and how meaning is assigned to units of language) as well as how language shapes and impacts on our world in dynamic and interesting ways.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course participants should be able to:

Understand the current discussion on the origin of human language
Explain the difference between human language and other forms of animal communication
Explain how speech sounds work AND list the biological components of articulation
Demonstrate how words can be combined into phrases and how phrases transform into sentences by use of syntax trees
Discuss the ways in which language impacts on society at the micro and macro linguistic levels
Understand how language is implicated in matters of power, privilege and discrimination
Design and conduct a short field research in linguistics

Course Text (Readings will be added to LEARN)

Rowe, B. M., And D. P. Levine. Concise Introduction To Linguistics. London And New York: Routledge, 2016.

Module	Week	Topic	Readings	Featured Issue/Research
Introduction and Overview	1	Course Overview: What is linguistics and what do linguists do? Where did language come from? Is there a difference between language and a language?	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 1, pp.1-12	The Sappir-Whorf/Linguistic Relativity hypothesis: The hypothesis of linguistic relativity, part of relativism, also known as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis /səˌpɪər ˈhwɔːrf/, the Whorf hypothesis, or Whorfianism is a principle claiming that the structure of a language affects its speakers' world view or cognition, and thus people's perceptions are relative to their spoken language. The principle is often defined in one of two versions: the strong hypothesis, which was held by some of the early linguists before World War II, and the weak hypothesis, mostly held by some of the modern linguists. he strong version says that language determines thought and that linguistic categories limit and determine cognitive categories. The weak version says that linguistic categories and usage only influence thought and decisions. The principle had been accepted and then abandoned by linguists during the early 20th century following the changing perceptions of social acceptance for the other especially after World War II. The origin of formulated arguments against the acceptance of linguistic relativity is attributed to Noam Chomsky.
2	Language Origin How do we acquire language? Do we learn it all, or are we born with it? Language, the brain, and cognition - what’s the connection?	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 1, pp.13-22 Ch. 8, pp.231-235
Speech Sounds & Articulation	3	Phonetics - Speech Sounds How do we produce speech sounds? How do the organs for articulation work together?	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 2, pp. 30-33	Inuit Throat Singing: First known to non-Indigenous people as guttural songs or throat songs (sometimes referred to as breathed songs), they were later designated more accurately as throat games by ethnomusicologists Beverley Diamond and Nicole Beaudry. Yet it is the Inuit term katajjaq that is most often used. However, it applies only to Arctic Québec and to the south of Baffin Island. Netsilingmiut (Netsilik), Iglulingmuit (Igloolik; Iglulik) and Kivallirmiut (Caribou Inuit) vocal games do not necessarily feature the throat sounds typical of katajjaq that are so striking; and they often refer to a narrative text absent from katajjaq. Thus, it appears simpler to adopt a more neutral and less specific term such as vocal game. In Inuit terminology, these games belong to the larger family of ulapqusiit (traditional games) and are designated more precisely as nipaquhiit, that is “games done with sounds or with noises” (nipi).
4	Phonetics (cont’d) ● Are speech sounds infinite? ● Practice exercises	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 2, pp. 34-47
Phonology - Sounds and their meanings How do sounds get their meanings? Do all languages share the same sounds?	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 3, pp.61-70 pp. 71-75
Words, Phrases & Sentences	5	Morphology - What are Words? Word segments and how to combine them Parts of speech	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 4, pp.85-91	Audism Audism occurs in all levels of government and society in the form of direct, indirect, and/or systemic discrimination and discriminatory behaviour or prejudice against Deaf people. CAD-ASC’s position Audism is as unacceptable as sexism, racism, ageism, and other forms of bigotry. Many Deaf Canadians experience prejudice and discrimination because of their differences from the non-Deaf majority. Much of this discrimination arises from ignorance or thoughtlessness. Much of it is institutional, systemic, and/or attitudinal. None of it is acceptable. Audism can be seen in two general aspects. One is the assumption or belief that people who are deaf must be encouraged (or even forced) to become as much like non-deaf people as possible. The other is to assume control over deaf people, to disempower them, by making decisions about their language(s), their education, the services they will need, and so on, with limited or no input by the D/deaf person and the Deaf community. The assumption that D/deaf people must become like non-Deaf people involves a repudiation of Sign language and the Deaf culture, a fixation upon “overcoming” the deafness, zealous promotion of “hearing” and speaking, and a pathological attitude towards deafness. It also implicitly includes the belief that a person who cannot hear is ipso facto inferior to those who can.
6	Morphology & Sign language ● What does a morpheme look like in signed language?	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 4, pp.93-100
Syntax - From words to phrases Different kinds of phrases Word order	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 5, pp.113-123
7	Syntax - From phrases to sentences The components of the sentence “Hidden” items in the sentence	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 5, pp.124-127
Meaning in the Conversational & Social Contexts	8	Semantics - Words and their Meanings How do we assign meanings to words? How do these meanings change?	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 6, pp.151-158 pp. 159-164	Mansplaining (a blend word of man and the informal form splaining of the gerund explaining) is a pejorative term meaning "(of a man) to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate or oversimplified manner". Author Rebecca Solnit ascribed [5] the phenomenon to a combination of "overconfidence and cluelessness". Lily Rothman, of The Atlantic, defined it as "explaining without regard to the fact that the explainee knows more than the explainer, often done by a man to a woman". In its original use, mansplaining differed from other forms of condescension in that it was said to be rooted in the assumption that a man is likely to be more knowledgeable than a woman. However, it has come to be used more broadly, often applied when a man takes a condescending tone in an explanation to anyone, regardless of the age or gender of the intended recipients: a "man 'splaining" can be delivered to any audience. In 2010, it was named by the New York Times as one of its "Words of the Year". American Dialect Society nominated Mansplaining as the “most creative” new word in 2012.
Pragmatics - The Social Meaning of Utterances Speech Acts Conversational Maxims
9	Can you break up via text? ● Speech acts and felicity conditions	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 6, pp.170-181
Language in the Broader Social Context	10	Sociolinguistics - How language shapes our world The linguistic landscape & heritage of Canada Language & social networks	Rowe & Levine: Ch. 7, pp.188-197 pp. 201-210	Linguistic imperialism or language imperialism is occasionally defined as "the transfer of a dominant language to other people". This language "transfer" comes about because of imperialism. The transfer is considered to be a demonstration of power; traditionally military power but also, in the modern world, economic power. Aspects of the dominant culture are usually transferred along with the language. In the modern world, linguistic imperialism may also be considered in the context of international development, affecting the standard by which organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank evaluate the trustworthiness and value of structural adjustment loans.Since the early 1990s, linguistic imperialism has attracted attention among scholars of applied linguistics. In particular, Robert Phillipson's 1992 book, Linguistic Imperialism, has led to considerable debate about its merits and shortcomings. Phillipson found denunciations of linguistic imperialism that dated back to Nazi critiques of the British Council (European aristocracy was, at the time, agreeing on the use of English), and to Soviet analyses of English as the language of world capitalism and world domination. In this vein, criticism of English as a world language is rooted in anti-globalism.
How do we get new languages? ● Language contact ● The pidgin-creole life cycle
11	Discourse Analysis - Language & social institutions Reading between the lines, words & intentions Language in social contexts	“Discourse Markers: Language, Meaning & Context” The Handbook of Discourse Analysis, 2nd ed.
Discourse Analysis (cont’d) Transcribing natural speech Doing linguistic field research
Applied Linguistics	12	Critical Discourse Analysis Language, Power, & Ideology Linguistic discrimination		Linguistic profiling is the practice of identifying the social characteristics of an individual based on auditory cues, in particular dialect and accent. The theory was first developed by Professor John Baugh to explain discriminatory practices in the housing market based on the auditory redlining of prospective clientele by housing administrators. Linguistic profiling extends to issues of legal proceedings, employment opportunities, and education. The theory is frequently described as the auditory equivalent of racial profiling. The bulk of the research and evidence in support of the theory pertain to racial and ethnic distinctions, though its applicability holds within racial or ethnic groups, perceived gender and sexual orientation, and in distinguishing location of geographic origin. Baugh's theory is distinct from linguistic profiling as defined by Hans van Halteren from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Van Halteren's theory deals with the categorization of linguistic features for the purposes of author identification and verification from a text, not necessarily specifically [1] addressing the socially defined categories within which they are included.
13	Course Review and Conclusion ● Consultations on final assignment

Module

Week

Topic

Readings

Featured Issue/Research

Introduction and Overview

Course Overview:

What is linguistics and what do linguists do?
Where did language come from?
Is there a difference between language and a language?

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 1, pp.1-12

The Sappir-Whorf/Linguistic Relativity hypothesis: The hypothesis of linguistic relativity, part of relativism, also known as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis /səˌpɪər ˈhwɔːrf/, the Whorf hypothesis, or Whorfianism is a principle claiming that the structure of a language affects its speakers' world view or cognition, and thus people's perceptions are relative to their spoken language.

The principle is often defined in one of two versions: the strong hypothesis, which was held by some of the early linguists before World War II, and the weak hypothesis, mostly held by some of the modern linguists.

he strong version says that language determines thought and that linguistic categories limit and determine cognitive categories.
The weak version says that linguistic categories and usage only influence thought and decisions.

The principle had been accepted and then abandoned by linguists during the early 20th century following the changing perceptions of social acceptance for the other especially after World War II. The origin of formulated arguments against the acceptance of linguistic relativity is attributed to Noam Chomsky.

Language Origin

How do we acquire language?

Do we learn it all, or are we born with it?

Language, the brain, and cognition - what’s the connection?

Rowe & Levine: Ch. 1, pp.13-22

Ch. 8, pp.231-235

Speech Sounds & Articulation

Phonetics - Speech Sounds

How do we produce speech sounds?
How do the organs for articulation work together?

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 2, pp. 30-33

Inuit Throat Singing: First known to non-Indigenous people as guttural songs or throat songs (sometimes referred to as breathed songs), they were later designated more accurately as throat games by ethnomusicologists Beverley Diamond and Nicole Beaudry. Yet it is the Inuit term katajjaq that is most often used. However, it applies only to

Arctic Québec and to the south of Baffin Island. Netsilingmiut (Netsilik), Iglulingmuit (Igloolik; Iglulik) and Kivallirmiut (Caribou Inuit) vocal games do not necessarily feature the throat sounds typical of katajjaq that are so striking; and they often refer to a narrative text absent from katajjaq. Thus, it appears simpler to adopt a more neutral and less specific term such as vocal game. In Inuit terminology, these games belong to the larger family of ulapqusiit (traditional games) and are designated more precisely as nipaquhiit, that is “games done with sounds or with noises” (nipi).

Phonetics (cont’d)

● Are speech sounds infinite? ● Practice exercises

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 2, pp. 34-47

Phonology - Sounds and their

meanings

How do sounds get their meanings?
Do all languages share the same sounds?

Rowe & Levine: Ch. 3, pp.61-70 pp. 71-75

Words, Phrases & Sentences

Morphology - What are Words?

Word segments and how to combine them
Parts of speech

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 4, pp.85-91

Audism

Audism occurs in all levels of government and society in the form of direct, indirect, and/or systemic discrimination and discriminatory behaviour or prejudice against Deaf people.

CAD-ASC’s position

Audism is as unacceptable as sexism, racism, ageism, and other forms of bigotry.

Many Deaf Canadians experience prejudice and discrimination because

of their differences from the non-Deaf majority. Much of this discrimination arises from ignorance or thoughtlessness. Much of it is institutional, systemic, and/or attitudinal. None of it is acceptable.

Audism can be seen in two general aspects. One is the assumption or belief that people who are deaf must be encouraged (or even forced) to become as much like non-deaf people as possible. The other is to assume control over deaf people, to disempower them, by making decisions about their language(s), their education, the services they will need, and so on, with limited or no input by the D/deaf person and the Deaf community.

The assumption that D/deaf people must become like non-Deaf people involves a repudiation of Sign language and the Deaf culture, a fixation upon “overcoming” the deafness, zealous promotion of “hearing” and speaking, and a pathological attitude towards deafness. It also implicitly includes the belief that a person who cannot hear is ipso facto inferior to those who can.

Morphology & Sign language

● What does a morpheme look like in signed language?

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 4, pp.93-100

Syntax - From words to phrases

Different kinds of phrases
Word order

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 5, pp.113-123

Syntax - From phrases to

sentences

The components of the sentence
“Hidden” items in the sentence

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 5, pp.124-127

Meaning in the

Conversational

& Social

Contexts

Semantics - Words and their

Meanings

How do we assign meanings to words?
How do these meanings change?

Rowe & Levine: Ch. 6, pp.151-158

pp. 159-164

Mansplaining (a blend word of man and the informal form splaining of the gerund explaining) is a pejorative term meaning "(of a man) to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate or oversimplified manner". Author Rebecca Solnit ascribed

[5] the phenomenon to a combination of "overconfidence and cluelessness". Lily Rothman, of The Atlantic, defined it as "explaining without regard to the fact that the explainee knows more than the explainer, often done by a man to a woman".

In its original use, mansplaining differed from other forms of condescension in that it was said to be rooted in the assumption that a man is likely to be more knowledgeable than a woman. However, it has come to be used more broadly, often applied when a man takes a condescending tone in an explanation to anyone, regardless of the age or gender of the intended recipients: a "man 'splaining" can be delivered to any audience. In 2010, it was named by the New York Times as one of its "Words of the Year". American Dialect Society nominated Mansplaining as the “most creative” new word in 2012.

Pragmatics - The Social Meaning of

Utterances

Speech Acts
Conversational Maxims

Can you break up via text?

● Speech acts and felicity conditions

Rowe & Levine:

Ch. 6, pp.170-181

Language in the

Broader Social

Context

Sociolinguistics - How language shapes our world

The linguistic landscape & heritage of Canada
Language & social networks

Rowe & Levine: Ch. 7, pp.188-197

pp. 201-210

Linguistic imperialism or language imperialism is occasionally defined as "the transfer of a dominant language to other people". This language "transfer" comes about because of imperialism. The transfer is considered to be a demonstration of power; traditionally military power but also, in the modern world, economic power. Aspects of the dominant culture are usually transferred along with the language. In the modern world, linguistic imperialism may also be considered in the context of international development, affecting the standard by which organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank evaluate the trustworthiness and value of structural adjustment loans.Since the early 1990s, linguistic imperialism has attracted attention among scholars of applied linguistics. In particular, Robert Phillipson's 1992 book, Linguistic Imperialism, has led to considerable debate about its merits and shortcomings. Phillipson found denunciations of linguistic imperialism that dated back to Nazi critiques of the British Council (European aristocracy was, at the time, agreeing on the use of English), and to Soviet analyses of English as the language of world capitalism and world domination. In this vein, criticism of English as a world language is rooted in anti-globalism.

How do we get new languages? ● Language contact

● The pidgin-creole life cycle

Discourse Analysis - Language &

social institutions

Reading between the lines, words & intentions
Language in social contexts

“Discourse Markers:

Language, Meaning & Context”

The Handbook of Discourse Analysis, 2nd ed.

Discourse Analysis (cont’d)

Transcribing natural speech
Doing linguistic field research

Applied Linguistics

Critical Discourse Analysis

Language, Power, & Ideology
Linguistic discrimination

Linguistic profiling is the practice of identifying the social characteristics of an individual based on auditory cues, in particular dialect and accent. The theory was first developed by Professor John Baugh to explain discriminatory practices in the housing market based on the auditory redlining of prospective clientele by housing administrators. Linguistic profiling extends to issues of legal proceedings, employment opportunities, and education. The theory is frequently described as the auditory equivalent of racial profiling. The bulk of the research and evidence in support of the theory pertain to racial and ethnic distinctions, though its applicability holds within racial or ethnic groups, perceived gender and sexual orientation, and in distinguishing location of geographic origin.

Baugh's theory is distinct from linguistic profiling as defined by Hans van

Halteren from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Van Halteren's theory deals with the categorization of linguistic features for the purposes of author identification and verification from a text, not necessarily specifically [1] addressing the socially defined categories within which they are included.

Course Review and Conclusion

● Consultations on final assignment

Assessment Breakdown

All due dates for assignments are synchronized in the LEARN calendar as well as on MS Teams

Group Project (25%): Each class participant will be assigned to a group, and each group will be in charge of mounting a group project. The project will be related to one of the featured issues being dealt with in the course and can be presented in a variety of different ways (e.g. photo essay, research poster, documentary, etc). The aim of the group project is to highlight and analyze the intersection between the featured issue and an aspect of the module for that portion of the course.
End of Module Assignments (50% - 12.5% x 4): At the end of each of the first four modules, participants will do a test. The test will draw on information from the assigned readings as well as other material discussed in each of the main content areas. The test will be available on the day of, or shortly after, the last topic in the model.
In class activities (25%): For each module, you will be given at least one in-class worksheet. The mark for each individual assignment depends on (a) timely completion, and (b) accurate completion. The worksheet will carry a numerical grade, but you get full marks if you once you get 70% (you can attempt it as many times as you want to get 70% or above).
Badges: Badges are merit-based awards that you can earn throughout the course for actions such as exceptional performance on an exercise, helping a classmate, or completing all assignments before the deadline. There are a variety of badges that carry different “credit” weighting. This is not automatic - since badges do not carry actual numerical weight. They instead serve as a way to assess your participation in the course which could be taken into consideration if you happen to underperform in a graded area and might need a “boost.”

Keeping in Touch With Me

The easiest (and recommended) way to contact me is to send me a message via the course MS Teams platform. If I am available, you could likely get a reply in minutes, and we could have a conversation about your question. You should use this medium like you would with email - start with a salutation, such as “Hello Dr. Forrester”, ask your questions, and attach a file if you need to. If for some reason you can’t come to the scheduled office hours, we can make an appointment to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams. Most importantly, do not wait until you feel completely overwhelmed to seek help. Let’s start talking as early as possible.

Academic Integrity

In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of

Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. See the UWaterloo Academic Integrity Webpage

(https://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/) and the Arts Academic Integrity Office Webpage (http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/current-undergraduates/academic-responsibility) for more information.

Discipline

A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing academic offenses and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline (http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm). For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties (http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/guidelines/penaltyguidelines.htm).