Admission requirements
BA in Linguistics or related discipline.
Description
This course approaches language as a set of cultural practices and so aims to study the Amerindian languages of South America through the lens of anthropological concerns. We focus on key cultural concepts on two levels. On the cognitive level of perceptions, concepts and categorizations, we will discuss and analyze different taxonomies such as flora and fauna, colour terms, bodyparts, sensual processes, and conceptions of the world. On the level of performative practices we will analyze the enactment of cosmological values, taking key concepts such as sociality and socialization, leadership, and possession.
Reading material for this course consists of relevant articles on a given topic that will be made known during the first class.
Course objectives
Course objective 1: To acquire a deep knowledge of the key ethnolinguistic topics in South American Amerindian cultures.
Course objective 2: To be able to identify a general typology of the linguistic expression of South American Amerindian cosmologies
Course objective 3: To compare and evaluate current research trends and outcomes of Amerindian ethnolinguistics.
Timetable
The timetable will be available by June 1st on the website.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Course Load
time spent on attending lectures and seminars: 26 hours
time for studying the compulsory literature and preparing for class: 78 hours
time to prepare for the presentation, exam and/or write a paper (including reading/research) : 176 hours
Assessment Method
Active participation including submitting weekly discussion points on Blackboard (30%), a presentation of 30 minutes (30%), and an essay (40%).
Blackboard
This course is supported by Blackboard.
Reading list
To be announced during class.
Registration
Students should register through uSis. If you have any questions, please contact the departmental office, tel. 071 5272144 or mail: ma-linguistics@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Registration Studeren à la carte via: www.hum.leidenuniv.nl/onderwijs/alacarte
Registration Contractonderwijs via: http://www.hum.leidenuniv.nl/onderwijs/contractonderwijs/
Contact
MA Linguistics departmental office, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 102C. Tel. 071 5272144; mail:ma-linguistics@hum.leidenuniv.nl