ANTHROPOLOGY 2040
Anthropological Linguistics
Instructor: Dr. Christine VanPool, Office hours TTH 2:00–3:00 or by appointment (Swallow Hall 201, 884-8118, )
Teaching Assistant: Jordon Brandon, Office hours: TTH 11:00-12:00
(Swallow Hall 214, )
Course Content: This course is an entry-level introduction to linguistic anthropology, which stresses the interactions between language and culture. We will discuss the relationship between language and social identity. We will also examine the origin and development of language, explore the variety of modern languages, and learn about different writing systems. This class is in essence a course in applied anthropology, and will focus on the application and practical use of core anthropological concepts. As a result, it will focus heavily on group and individual activities. By the end of the semester you will understand the role language plays in structuring our social relationships, and will have gained the essential tools for learning and analyzing languages in social and cultural contexts.
Required Textbooks: The Anthropology of Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology and Linguistic Anthropology Workbook and Reader, by Harriet Joseph Ottenheimer. The textbook for the reading assignments are designated HJO and the workbook is designated W/R. Both books must be brought to class, as we will be frequently discussing some them.
Be sure to read the assigned texts and complete the assigned workbook problems by the dates scheduled on the syllabus.
Course Requirements: You are responsible for the assigned texts, completing the workbook problems on time, and participating in class. Therefore, you must regularly attend classes because a large portion of your grade is based on in-class participation. Frequent absences will result in a failing grade.
Because this course is employing an applied approach, each student will need to participate in two types of group projects outside of class: working with a language partner for whom English is a second language, and creating an original language with a group of your classmates. These projects, which will be discussed in more detail below, are designed to give you additional opportunities to explore the concepts and subject matter we discuss in class. Active participation in these projects is required.
Grading:
Exams (300 points; two exams and a final are worth 100 points each)
Pop quizzes (40 points; 8 short answer questions worth 5 points each)
Workbook problems (80 points; four assignments or groups of assignments worth 20 points each)
Conversation Partner notebook (20 points)
Conversation Partner reports (60 points; three assignments worth 20 points each) These have to be typed in 12-point font and doubled spaced.
Language Creating-activity (80 points; project book 40 points, presentation 15 points, and 25 points as part of the final exam)
Total points = 580 (580-522= A; 521-464= B; 463-406 = C; 405-348 = D; 347 or below = F)
Conversation Partnering: This assignment will help you gain practical experience in analyzing languages and communicating with people from other cultures. You will be provided with a conversation partner from another country from MU Women’s Center, and together you do several directed exercises (a notebook worth 20 points and three writing projects worth 20 points each). Please note that you must NEVER use your partner's real name in any writing projects. If your first language is not English, we will pair you with an English-speaking member of the class. If you already have a partner you do not need another, but you have to give me the name, phone number, and email address of your partner by September 11. Please meet with your conversation partner at least one hour each week after he or she has been provide by the language partner program. Keep a record of your meeting (time, date, and place) in a notebook. If you have any difficulty keeping in touch with your partner, you must notify us immediately.
Language Creating: During this semester-long assignment, you will be working with four or five of your peers during and outside of class to create a new language. You will be given specific assignments to help you along the way. Each group will prepare a project book to be turned in for grading (40 points). The project book should include a cover with the name of the group and the names of the individuals in the group, an introduction and a conclusion signed by all group members, and one section (a page or two long) for each of the related assignments. Each section must be written and signed by at least one group member. All group members must approve each section. At the end of the semester there will be a classroom demonstration (15 points) of the new languages. Each group will describe the major features and characteristics of its language and perform a brief skit using it. Be sure to take notes and to keep a copy of your group's project book because questions about the created languages will be included as part of the final exam (25 points).
Topics and Assignments:
Week 1: August 21-23 Introduction, Language and Culture
Read HJO Intro, chapters 1 and 2, W/R Chapter 1
Conversation Partner (CP) pairing to be announced
Week 2: August 28-30 Linguistic determinism
Read W/R chapter 2:Frake, color & kinship, and HJO chapter 3
August 30 W/R questions 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 (20 points)
Week 3: September 4-6 Learning to Analyze sounds
September 4 Read HJO chapter 3; W/R chapter 3 up to allophones
September 6 Language partner notebook check (have meeting time and brief summaries of the conversations, and a paragraph summary of your partner, place of origin, first language, and other important demographics).
Week 4: September 11-13 Allophones & conditioning
September 11 Conversational Partners color/kin (20 points)
(see Conversational Partner discussion page for assignment)
September 13 read W/R chapter 3: read allophones, work to Persian
September 13 Checkpoint for Language groups and conversational partners note books (bring notebooks to class)
Week 5: September 18-20 Learning to analyze meanings
September 18 conversational partners phonology assignment due (20 points) September 20 Read HJO chapter 4; W/R chapter 4: Adams to Swahili nouns classes
September 25 Exam 1
Week 6: September 27 Word order & phrases and Tree and Rules
September 27 Read W/R chapter 4 up to Swahili sentences, W/R 9 Newspaper Headlines
KiSwahili verbs (20 points) W/R 4.10 p. 58
Week 7: October 2-4 Language in Action
October 2 HJO Chapter 5
October 4 Ethnicity and Gender read: W/R chapter 4: Good Tracks
Week 8: October 9-11 Nonverbal communication: Body language and sign language
October 9 OJH Chapter 6
Week 9: October 16-18 Nonverbal communication (continued) and Writing and Literacy
October 16 read W/R chapter 6: Hickey and Thompson,
October 18 W/R questions 6.1 and 6.2 (20 points) p. 83
October 18 Read HJO chapter 7, W/R chapter 7
Week 10: October 23-25 How is language possible?
October 23 Read HJO Chapter 8
October 25 Theories of Origins W/R chapter 8
October 30 Exam 2
Week 11: November 1 Language Creation workday (bring language creation notebook to class)
Week 12: November 6-8 Change and Choice, Ethnicity and Identity
November 6 Read HJO chapter 9, W/R chapter 9
November 8 W/R questions 9.2–9.4 (20 points) pp. 121-122
Week 13: November 13-15 Language and Power
Read HJO chapter 9; W/R chapter 9 (Haller)
November 17-25 No Classes (Thanksgiving Break)
Week 14: November 27-29 Doing Linguistic anthropology and Case Studies in Linguistic Anthropology
November 27 Read HJO chapter 10 and W/R chapter 10
November 29 Conversational Partner Summary (20 points)
Conversational Partner Notebook check
Week 15: December 4-6 Language Group Presentations
December 14 Final Exam from 10:30-12:30*
*Final must be taken at this time unless you have an excusable absence as outlined by the MU Student Handbook.