Indonesian is the second language of 85 % of the population of Indonesia. In addition, most Indonesians speak a minority language as their first language. There are more than 700 of such languages in Indonesia, and of these, about 300 are spoken on the islands in between Lombok and the New Guinea mainland, i.e. Maluku, Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara. This course introduces the student to this fascinating linguistic area. We consider the region from three distinct angles:
(a) Genetic: in this area, we find both Austronesian and Papuan languages. What is the evidence for this type of classification? What are the assumptions and procedures used for genetic classification?
(b) Typological: Languages of Eastern Indonesia share certain features– what are the typical features of the Austronesian languages of Eastern Indonesia compared to those in the West? What are the typical features of Papuan languages of Eastern Indonesia compared to (some of) those spoken on New Guinea and further east?
© Areal: Some characteristics have diffused across language boundaries through language contact – which features may be used to define East Nusantara as a linguistic area, and how did they diffuse?
Teaching method
Lectures, guest lectures, presentations by students
Admission requirements
BA/MA in linguistics or a particular language
Course objectives
By the end of this course, the student is aware of the following issues:
The kind of genetic evidence that is used for the classification of Austronesian and Papuan languages in Indonesia, how genetic evidence is collected, and how it can be evaluated and analysed.
The large typological variety found within the Austronesian family as well between the Papuan languages, in particular those spoken in Eastern Indonesia.
What areal linguistics is and how areal similarities contrast with typological and genetic similarities. Where the genetic and areal linguistic patterns in E Indonesia overlap, and where they do not. Some of the areal features of E Indonesia. The possible prehistorical scenarios for language contact in this area.
Course load
5 ec = 140 hours
Class meetings 12 x 2 hours = 24 hours
Class preparations 10 weeks x 8 hours per week = 80 hours
Preparation of two presentations = 20 hours
Final essay based on one of the presentations = 16 hours
Required readings
Readings will be announced on Blackboard by the beginning of the course. Most readings will be downloadable from Blackboard as pdfs, hard copies will be available in the Research Master room 1166-002b (the computer and reading room for the ReMA Linguistics).
Information
At least four students should register for this course, in order for it to take place as a regular series of lectures.
Registration
Blackboard
Yes
Course schedule
1, I Introduction
2, State of the art
3, II Genetic classification and reconstruction
4, Genetic classification and reconstruction in Eastern Indonesia
5, Classification and reconstruction of Papuan languages
6, Student’s presentations on the genetic classification of three undescribed languages (Austronesian/Papuan)
7, III Typology
8, Typological features of Papuan languages
9, Typology and Language families
10, Student’s presentations on the typology of Eastern Indonesian languages (Austronesian/ Papuan)
11, IV Areal linguistics
12, V Summary, winding up, questions