BA Latin and Linguistics

Year of entry: 2023

Course unit details:
Language Contact

Course unit fact file
Unit code LELA30291
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Offered by Linguistics & English Language
Available as a free choice unit? Yes

Overview

This module provides an introduction to the study of language contact both as a process (the processing of different languages by multilingual individuals) and as a result (observed language change over time as a result of multilingual language use). Both aspects will be discussed on the basis of a range of case studies involving languages from around the world and different scenarios of multilingualism, covering phenomena such as code-switching, lexical and grammatical borrowing, and calquing (i.e. loan translation or "pattern borrowing"). We will also discuss the emergence of new languages - mixed languages and creole languages - as a result of language contact.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
English Word and Sentence Structure LELA10301 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
At least one unit out of:
  • LELA20021 Analysing Grammar;
  • LELA20101 Societal Multilingualism;
  • LELA20032 Typology;
  • LELA20401 Changing English Language;
  • LELA20962 Psycholinguistics–or comparable

Aims

Students will:

  • obtain an overview of processes of contact-induced historical language change
  • get an insight into the debate surrounding the formation of new languages due to language contact
  • be able to describe the relationship between multilingual language use and contact-induced language change
  • critically reflect on the concept of “language” as a delimited system
  • learn to analyse relevant aspects of the phonology, grammar and semantics of a range of languages, including non-European ones

Knowledge and understanding

Students will

  • be able to define some key conceptual notions in language contact such as “borrowing”,“code-switching”, and “creole genesis”
  • link historical processes of contact-induced change to the processing of multiple languages by multilingual speakers
  • apply these concepts to data from familiar and unfamiliar languages

Intellectual skills

  • identifying key points in published research papers on different subtopics
  • critical evaluation of the evidence and sources of data underlying theoretical claims
  • identifying conceptual links between synchronic and diachronic phenomena

Practical skills

  • analysis of multilingual conversations
  • use of glosses and translations to analyse structures of unfamiliar languages

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • interpreting and evaluating data presented in different formats, e.g. graphs, tables, sets of linguistic examples
  • confidence in spoken and written discussion and argumentation
  • providing explicit evidence and precise argumentation in written work
  • increased appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity

Employability skills

Analytical skills
Considerable emphasis will be placed on the interpretation and critical evaluation of data presented in various formats, e.g. graphs, tables, and sets of linguistic examples.
Research
The course content encourages students to critically reflect upon the world outside the university thereby providing confidence to use academic research in a variety of settings.
Written communication
The course will also provide key skills in critical analysis and in the dissemination of information to different audiences and therefore be of value for a range of career paths.
Other
The course will have particular benefits for any student interested in pursuing a career which involves teaching and learning, diversity management, intercultural communication and community cohesion.

Assessment methods

Contribution (as group work) to one student-led discussion during a seminar, offering a critical analysis of a published research paper, with visual aids. 10%
Annotated outline and preliminary bibliography for main coursework. 10%
Main coursework: review essay of two original research studies on any topic covered during the course 80%

 

Feedback methods

Feedback method

Formative or Summative

 Feedback on contributions during seminars

Formative

 Written feedback via Turnitin on outline of main assignment

 Formative and Summative

 Written feedback via Turnitin on main assignment

Summative

 Additional one-to-one feedback during consultation hours

 Formative

 

Recommended reading

  • Bhatia, Tej K. & William C. Ritchie (eds.) 2013. The Handbook of Bilingualism and Multilingualism, Second Edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Hickey, Raymond (ed.) 2010. The Handbook of Language Contact. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Matras, Yaron. 2009. Language contact. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Winford, Donald. 2003. An introduction to contact linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
  • Wei, Li. ed. 2000. The bilingualism reader. London: Routledge.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 16.5
Seminars 16
Independent study hours
Independent study 167.5

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Eva Schultze-Berndt Unit coordinator

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