Admission requirements
BA in Linguistics or related discipline.
Description
This course is designed to give a thorough overview of the distinguishing characteristics and intricacies of the native languages of South America. We focus on two main areas, Amazonia (Block 1) and the Andes (Block 2), looking at the spread and the diversity of the native languages, as well as the results of language contact situations. We will hone in on specific themes of descriptive, historical, and typological interest. Among others we will address such issues as demonstrative and classifier systems, nominal tense, truth and knowledge markers, evidentiality, verb formation and noun incorporation; ergativity and complex clauses; nominalizations; adpositions of time and space.
Course objectives
- To acquire a deep knowledge of the linguistic diversity of South America and its historical and genetic background.
- To be able to identify a general typology of Amerindian languages.
- To compare and evaluate current research trends in Amerindian linguistics.
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 presentations and write the papers (including reading/research): 176 hours
Assessment method
Students are required to:
Actively participate in class (20%)
Give two presentations each during class (30%)
Write two essays (10-15 pages each), one on a topic of Amazonian linguistics, the other on a topic of Andean linguistics (50%)
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used to provide students with an overview of current affairs, as well as specific information about (components of) the course.
Reading list
Reading material for Amazonian languages in Block 1 will be announced on Blackboard two weeks before the beginning of class. A good overview book (optional) is:
- Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. (2012). The Languages of the Amazon. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Basic text for Andean languages in Block 2 is:
- Adelaar, Willem F.H. with the collaboration of Pieter C. Muysken (2004). The Languages of the Andes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Other reading materials will be announced during class.
Registration
Students should register through uSis. If you have any questions, please contact the departmental office, tel. 071 5272144 or .osz-oa-eyckhof@humleidenuniv.nl.
When registering, students that are registered for the specialisation that this course belongs to, or the Research Master, take priority. The deadline for registration is August 15 (first semester) or January 15 (second semester). All other students should contact the coordinator of studies
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
Master Linguistics student administration, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 102C. Tel. 071 5272144; .osz-oa-eyckhof@humleidenuniv.nl.