Admission requirements
The course is open to students who followed an introduction to formal semantics AND to students with a solid background in descriptive linguistics and/or typology.
Description
The main topic of this course is cross linguistic variation in the domain of semantics, focusing on the count/mass distinction. The difference between countable objects (e.g. pens) and non countable stuff (e.g. water) has consequences for the way nouns such as pen and water combine with for instance numerals (cf. two pens vs. two cups (or liters etc.) of water).
When looking at ways in which languages encode countability, a large amount of cross-linguistic variation can be observed.For instance, English count nouns such as pen directly combine with a numeral if the noun is marked with plural -s (two pens). In Mandarin, the noun bǐ ‘pen’ can only be used with a numeral when a so-called ‘numeral classifier’ (CLF) is added indicating the unit of counting. English two pens is rendered as Mandarin liǎng zhī bǐ ‘two CLFbranch pen’, a structure that literally means something like ‘two branch pen’, with zhī ‘CLFbranch’ expressing the fact that long thin objects are being counted. In this respect the Mandarin word for ‘pen’ resembles English mass nouns such as water: when using a numeral with a mass noun, an expression such as cup has to be added that indicates the unit of counting, as in two cups of water. Other languages use neither plural marking nor a classifier, and simply use ‘two pen’ (Tagalog, Yudja). Or they allow for different structures: ‘two pen’, ‘two unit pen’ or ‘two pens’ (Indonesian, Armenian).
This course investigates linguistic variation in the domain of the count/mass distinction on the one hand, and looks at semantic approaches that deal with this variation on the other. Moreover, we will address the question how the types of patters we find are connected to human cognition.
Students can choose to focus on formal semantic aspects or on language description and typology.
Course objectives
Ability to critically apply analytical and descriptive linguistic research methods to cross-linguistic data;
Understanding of how semantic theory can be used to predict and explain linguistic data;
Ability to critically evaluate scientific arguments and methods within the sub-domain of semantics and cross-linguistic variation;
Ability to critically discuss the relevant literature and to provide thorough scientific argumentation in a written paper and in an oral presentation.
Timetable
Zie Rooster
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Course Load
NB de informatie over de contacturen (colleges, practica, toetsing, overige contacturen) in het eerste jaar van de bachelor is van belang voor de berekening van de onderwijsintensiteit. Deze informatie dient daarom precies op de aangegeven manier te worden vermeld, zodat de berekening van het totaal aantal contacturen per opleiding correct kan geschieden. Willen jullie het Engelse formulier gebruiken?
Totale studielast 10 EC x 28 uur = uur: 280 )
time spent on attending seminars: 26 hours
time spent on studying the compulsory literature & preparing for presentations: 154 hours
time spent on writing a paper (including reading/research): 100hours
Assessment method
Active participation: 10% (no resit)
Presentations: 20% (no resit)
Extra assignments 20% (resit possible)
Paper 50% (resit possible)
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Blackboard
Blackboard wordt gebruikt voor:
course information, including program and reading list
course documents and assignments
grades
Reading list
- To be distributed via Blackboard
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable
Contact
Please contact Student administration van Eyckhof for questions.
The coordinator of studies is Else van Dijk