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 and the Andes, 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. Reading material for this course consists of two set books, one for each area, and additional reading material in the form of relevant articles pertaining to a given topic.
Course objectives
Course objective 1: To acquire a deep knowledge of the linguistic diversity of South America and its historical and genetic background.
Course objective 2: To be able to identify a general typology of Amerindian languages.
Course objective 3: To compare and evaluate current research trends in Amerindian linguistics.
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 (includingreading/research): 176 hours
Assessment Method
Students are required to actively participate in class (20%), give two presentations each during class (30%),and to write two essays (10-15 pages each), one on a topic of Andean linguistics, the other on a topic of Amazonian linguistics (50%).
Blackboard
This course is supported by Blackboard.
Reading list
Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. (2012). The Languages of the Amazon. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (NB: Thanks to Oxford University Press, students of this course will be able to buy this book at a special reduced price at van Stockum bookstore on the Breestraat in Leiden.)
Adelaar, Willem F.H. with the collaboration of Pieter C. Muysken (2004). The Languages of the Andes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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