Linguistics

This course examines common patterns and common forms of communication which are found across all sectors of society as well as across cultural boundaries for communicating ideological values and constructing subjectivities and identities. Topics include different approaches to ideologies; multimodal critical discourse analysis; a social-semiotic theory of communication; semiotic resources as a system of ideological choices; evaluation of stance; discourse representations of social actors and social actions in historical and cultural contexts; modality; nominalisation and presupposition.

This course examines the phenomenon of ‘globalization’ in relation to language and communication. It looks at the constant tension between language, languages and languaging as we negotiate similarities and differences in a global setting – by examining relevant notions such as monolingualism, multilingualism (semilingualism, fake multilingualism, parallel monolingualism, multiple language ontologies), universal language, lingua franca, translation and translatability, translingualism (polylingualism, translanguaging, etc.), and exploring global issues such as the digitalization/technologization of language and literacy, language commodification, as well as the topic of global English(es).

This course examines linguistic phenomena relating to the structure of language and how those phenomena are formulated and explained under the framework of so-called Generative Grammar.  

Course objectives include: i) to understand what is meant by the structure of language, ii) to examine linguistic facts discerned to be structural, iii) to appreciate conceptual/theoretical necessities to account for them (e.g., diverse developments from Generative to Minimalism), iv) to have a grasp of the idea of universal grammar. 

Topics include linguistics and syntax, ingredients of structure: linearity and hierarchy, syntactic categories, words to phrases, two kinds of merge: substitution and adjunction (external or internal), introduction to P-markers, various structural relations (Binding Theory), complement vs. adjunct (and specifier), covert elements: trace vs. empty categories (PRO/pro), movement and interpretation: 1. grammatical functions 2. thematic roles 3. displacement (overt movement vs. covert movement like QR), and transformation: substitution and ellipsis. 

This course examines how contemporary linguists address issues of language use. It explores topics such as the nature of human communication, the influence of social attitudes on language, first and second language acquisition and development, the historical development of languages, language universals and language typology, and regional and situational variation in language. 

This is an independent research course with research arranged between the student and faculty member. The specific research topics vary each term and are described on a special project form for each student. A substantial paper is required. The number of units varies with the student’s project, contact hours, and method of assessment, as defined on the student’s special study project form.

The course incudes the patterns of language use in Southern African, and Botswana in particular, the factors which influence language change and maintenance and the various efforts, both formal and informal, which are beings made in order to preserve, promote, and empower languages. 

The varieties of German differ in the lexis and pronunciation of words as well as in morphology, morphosyntax, syntax, and lexical semantics. In the course of this seminar, we will deal with various such variation phenomena from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective 

This course examines the ways in which language is being (re)formulated on the Web, especially in multilingual settings. The course focuses on the study and management of electronic language evidence on the Web. The course requires students to take prerequisites.

In this course, students look at the interaction between linguistics and the law and more specifically they focus on the face-threatening strategies of deception, manipulation, and aggression. This is a practical course in which students study the ways that linguistics can be applied in non-academic contexts. Students start by examining the role of the linguist as an expert witness in the legal system and in this section they focus on the use of stylistics in investigating disputed authorship, for instance in missing person cases. Students also examine and evaluate research into linguistic markers of deception.

This course aims to develop oral skills and confidence in pronunciation of Samoan vocabulary, speaking and understanding conversational Samoan.