ASPECTS OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Course Outline
Course instructor information:
Dr. Heath Rose
School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences Office: Room 3040, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin Email: heath.rose@tcd.ie Phone: 896-1626 |
Course information:
Course codes: LI2307 & LI237A
TSM, CSLL, BDS linguistic study option Michaelmas term only - 12 weeks (week 7 is a study week) Monday 4-5pm, Arts Building room 5039 Thursday 9-10am, Arts Building room 5025 Classes start on the hour and finish at 10 to the hour |
Course overview
The aim of this course is to introduce students to a range of perspectives – historical, social, linguistic, discourse-analytic, and cognitive – on a pervasive and hugely important linguistic phenomenon that is often taken for granted by literate people in literate societies: written language.
The course comprises two one-hour sessions each week during Michaelmas term. Weeks 1 to 5 deal with historical and linguistic issues around the development of writing systems, the advent of printing, and the transformative effects of writing and printing on societies and, perhaps, minds. Weeks 6 to 10 draw on discourse analysis and cognitive psychology to examine how written language succeeds, and occasionally fails, to communicate meaning to readers; and in week 11 we will look at how written language is used in communication technologies. In week 12 we will try to draw these threads together in a course summary. The course will be taught through a combination of lectures, workshop activities, and recommended weekly readings. |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to…
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Readings
Material for the course is based on various readings, rather than on a single textbook. The required reading for each topic forms the main source for the lecture in some cases, and provides an overview of the topic in others. Students will be expected to read the required text by the Thursday class of the relevant week.
Although all readings are available through the library, it is always possible that they may be in use by other library users when you look for them; in that case, please notify the lecturer in good time, who may be able to provide a copy.
For each topic, there is also a list of other titles. These may be may be alternative readings, in the sense that they cover much the same ground as the required reading; or they may be additional readings, in that (a) they provide different perspectives on the topic, or (b) they are important contributions to the topic that are mentioned in the lecture. Students are not required to read these, but they may find them useful for further study on topics that interest them particularly. They will also provide useful starting points for assignments.
Although all readings are available through the library, it is always possible that they may be in use by other library users when you look for them; in that case, please notify the lecturer in good time, who may be able to provide a copy.
For each topic, there is also a list of other titles. These may be may be alternative readings, in the sense that they cover much the same ground as the required reading; or they may be additional readings, in that (a) they provide different perspectives on the topic, or (b) they are important contributions to the topic that are mentioned in the lecture. Students are not required to read these, but they may find them useful for further study on topics that interest them particularly. They will also provide useful starting points for assignments.
Course Syllabus
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WEEK 1 (22 & 25 September)
a. Course introduction b. An overview of writing Required reading: Connor-Linton, Chapter 12 WEEK 2 (29 September & 2 October) a. A history of writing: From hieroglyphics to the alphabet b. Deciphering ancient scripts Required reading: Schmandt-Besserat & Erard, 2008 WEEK 3 (6 & 9 October) a. World writing systems b. Writing system case study: The Japanese writing system Required reading: Connor-Linton, Chapter 12 Fromkin, et al., 2003, chapter 12 WEEK 4 (13 & 16 October) a. The English spelling system (Guest Lecture by Des Ryan) b. The English spelling system (Guest Lecture by Des Ryan) Required reading: On website WEEK 5 (20 & 23 October) a. Sign-writing Part 1 (Guest lecture by Pat Matthews) b. Sign-writing Part 2 (Guest lecture by Pat Matthews) Required reading: On website WEEK 6 (Thursday 29 October only; Monday is the October Bank Holiday) b. Writing system case study: The roman alphabet and the English language Required reading: TBD WEEK 7 (3 & 6 November) Study week -- no classes WEEK 8 (10 & 13 November) a. The process of reading: decoding linguistic form, inferring meaning b. Writing and society Required reading: On website (Olsen and Torrence) Alternative Reading: Greene, 1986, part 1, sections 3 and 4 WEEK 9 (17 & 20 November) a. Presentations on world writing systems b. Presentations on world writing systems WEEK 10 (24 November & 27 November) a. Comparing the language of speech and writing 1 b. Comparing the language of speech and writing 2 Required reading: Biber & Vásquez, 2008 WEEK 11 (1 & 4 December) a. Writing and new communication technologies 1 b. Writing and new communication technologies 2 Required reading: Herring, 2001 WEEK 12 (8 & 11 December) Course review and discussion of assignments |