MA Linguistics

This course unit introduces students to the typology and classification of the Romance languages and to their lexicon and their principal grammatical structures vis-à-vis the structures of English and other Indo-European and non-Indo-European languages. Particular emphasis is placed on smaller and lesser-studied Romance languages, their relation to a major Romance language, their distinct structural properties, and their sociolinguistic and political status. Students will “adopt” a smaller or lesser-studied Romance language. They will conduct independent research on this language, investigating, depending on their choice, either its status in the linguistic community or one feature of its grammar, including topics at the interface of discourse and syntax or lexical meaning and grammar. In addition to traditional academic resources, students will be allowed to use social media to investigate the structures and the status of their adopted language. Students will develop a critical understanding of the principal typological properties of Romance in comparison with other language types and language families. Students will also become familiar with issues in linguistic identity, language documentation and description, and dialectology. This course unit is not only recommended for students who love the Romance languages, but also for those who have an interest in typology, linguistic identity, and grammatical semantics. Students who are able to read a Romance language fluently will have access to a wider range of sources. However, there are sufficient sources in English for any student to take the course.

The principal aims of the course unit are as follows:

• To introduce the students to the structures of the Romance languages in a typological perspective.
• To enhance the students’ awareness of the relatedness of the Romance languages.
• To enhance the students’ awareness of the subgroupings which are part of the Romance family.
• To introduce the students to the socio-political contexts in which the Romance languages are spoken.
• To stimulate the students’ interest in the smaller and lesser known Romance languages, their structures and their sociolinguistic status.
• To introduce the students to issues in linguistic identity, language documentation and description, and dialectology.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Know which languages constitute the Romance family, and how they are related in diachronic, typological and socio-political terms.
• Know the major typological properties of the Romance language family and its internal subgroupings.
• Investigate and discuss the structures and the sociolinguistic status of at least one lesser-known Romance language.

Three weekly hours in the class for 11 weeks.

Four hours of MA-specific tutorials.

Two consultation hours per week.

Further consultation on demand.

Useful web links and revision materials made available on Blackboard.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Understand the typological issues which arose in the transition from Latin to Romance and how they are resolved in synchrony.
• Describe the socio-political status and the grammatical structures of an under-represented language.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Engage in independent reflection and enquiry.
• Engage in the discussion and critical evaluation of theories in Romance linguistics.
• Use empirical evidence to support synthetic conclusions and interpretations.
• Analyse a body of data and provide a synthesis of the most relevant findings.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Extrapolate patterns from complex data sets.
• Apply skills of analysis and synthesis to practical issues and problems.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Engage in independent reflection and enquiry.
• Analyse data and provide a synthesis of the findings.
• Deliver an oral presentation in a formal setting.
• Write a report on a piece of original research.
• Engage in group discussion (both in the class and online).
• Work as part of a team.

• One-to-one feedback on formative assessment (during consultation hours or online or by appointment).
• Global feedback on Blackboard.
• Written feedback on report. 

Maiden, M., Smith, J. C. & Ledgeway, A. (eds.) The Cambridge History of the Romance Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2 vols.

Ledgeway, A. & Maiden, M. (eds) 2016. The Oxford Guide to the Romance Languages. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vincent, N. & Harris, M. (eds) 1988. The Romance Languages. London: Routledge.

Further reading will be recommended on Blackboard and in the class.