ANTH 220 Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
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ANTH 220 -- Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology Spring 2006: Tuesday & Thursday, 2:30-3:45 p.m.; 350 Waters Hall
Dr. Harriet J. Ottenheimer, Instructor [email protected]; 785-532-4981; 206 Waters Hall; office hours 10-11 TU or by appointment http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~mahafan
Diana Wilbert Teaching Assistant [email protected]; 785-762-4798; office hours by appointment
Requirements and grading: Reading assigned texts / attempting workbook problems by date scheduled on syllabus. Participating in class. Exams (220 points) (midterm will be 80 points, final exam 140 points) Workbook problems as assigned (60 points) (four assignments (or groups of assignments) @ 15 points) Conversation Partner reports as assigned (60 points) (three assignments @ 20 points) Language Creating-activity (60 points) (project book 25 points, presentation 10 points, final exam 25 points) Total points = 400 (360-400 = A; 320-359 = B; 280-319 = C; 240-279 = D; 239 or below = F)
Required Texts: Harriet Ottenheimer: The Anthropology of Language Harriet Ottenheimer: The Anthropology of Language: Workbook/Reader
Course Description: Linguistic anthropology is one of four basic subfields of anthropology. This course provides a broadly-based entry-level introduction to linguistic anthropology stressing the interactions between language and culture, and between language and social identity. We will also explore the origin and development of language, examine the variety of languages in today's world, and learn about different writing systems. Most importantly, in this class you will acquire the essential tools for learning and analyzing languages in social and cultural contexts, and for understanding the basics of cross-cultural communication.
Conversation Partnering: This semester-long assignment will help you to gain practical experience in analyzing languages and communicating across cultures. We will provide you with a conversation partner from another country and with directed exercises (three writing projects @ 20 points) to help you with this assignment. Please note that you must NEVER use your CP'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 CP you do not need another, but you must give us the name and phone # and email address of your CP by January 24. Please meet with your conversation partner at least one hour each week. If you have any difficulty keeping in touch with your CP you must notify us immediately. Send an email to the English Language Program ([email protected]), with a copy to Prof. Ottenheimer ([email protected]). ELP phone # is 532-7324.
Language Creating This semester-long assignment will help you to practice the concepts and skills you are learning. Working with four or five of your classmates you will create a unique new language, testing the limits of each new concept as you learn it. Each group will prepare a project book to be turned in for grading (25 points). The project book should include a cover with the name of the group and the names of the individuals in the group, a checksheet listing the names of all group members and the 'jobs' for which they took primary responsibility, one section/page for each project completed during the semester, a copy of your final skit and a concluding statement. At the end of the semester there will be a classroom demonstration (10 points) of all group languages. Each group will describe the major features and characteristics of its language and perform a brief skit using the created language. It will be important to take notes, and to keep a copy of your group's project book because questions about the created languages will be appended to the final exam (25 points).
Special notes: Please remember the student honor code. If you have any special needs you should contact us as soon as possible. This syllabus and all lecture notes and web materials associated with it are copyrighted and may not be sold or reproduced outside of class. Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology - ANTH 220 – Spring 2006 – Dr. H. J. Ottenheimer Schedule of assignments: (updates and relevant links will be posted on http://courses.k-state.edu/spring2006/sasw/anth220/)
DATE TOPIC READ/PREPARE ASSIGNMENTS DUE Jan. 12 Introduction begin forming LC groups
17 Linguistics and Anthropology Ottenheimer Intro & Chapter 1 19 --fieldwork in linguistic anthro W/R 1: Mitchell CP signups
24 Language and Culture Ottenheimer 2, W/R 2 Conklin, color, kin LC group names 26 Learning to analyze: sounds Ottenheimer 3; W/R 3: sound charts. CP matchups
31 --charting sounds W/R 3: charting (New Zealand) Feb. 2 Guest Speaker 1 CP discussions Charting 3.1 (10 points)
7 Guest Speaker 2 phonology review 9 Guest Speaker 3 Language Creating review CP color/kin (extra points)
14 --phonemes, etics/emics W/R 3: phonemes thru Chatino 16 --allophones & conditioning W/R 3: allophones thru Persian CP phonology (20 points) Chatino 3.2e (5 points)
21 --Learning to analyze: meanings Ottenheimer 4; W/R4 thru KiSwahili verbs 23 --patterns in words W/R 4: to KiSwahili noun classes KiSwahili verbs 4.10 (15 points)
28 --word order & phrases W/R 4: to KiSwahili sentences Mar. 2 --trees and rules W/R 4: to Newspaper Headlines
7 Review for Midterm Exam LC project book (review) 9 MIDTERM EXAM
14 Language in Action Ottenheimer 5 16 --ethnicity and gender W/R 5: Good Tracks CP word order (20 points) BREAK 28 --ethnicity and identity American Tongues (Video) 30 WORKDAY Work on LC presentations
Apr. 4 Body language, sign lanaguage Ottenheimer 6, W/R 6: Hickey & Thompson 6 WORKDAY Work on LC presentations
11 Writing and Literacy Ottenheimer 7; W/R 7: to Japanese writing CP NVC (20 points) 13 How is Language Possible? Ottenheimer 8 Japanese writing 7.1 (15 points)
18 --theories of origins W/R 8 Ottenheimer (Shintiri) 20 Change and Choice Ottenheimer 9; W/R 9: begin Proto-Polynesian Reconstruction
25 --language and power Ottenheimer 9; W/R 9 Haller 27 Doing Linguistic anthropology Ottenheimer 10; W/R 10: Hill Reconstruction 9.1(15 points)
May. 2 LC Demonstrations LC presentations (10 points) LC project books (25 points) 4 Review for Final exam discussion, review, final evaluations
Final Exam: Monday, May 8, 9:40-11:20 Conversation Partnering in brief
Plan to meet with your conversation partner for at least one hour each week. You can use the time to eat together, study together, shop together, or just get to know one another better. Pay close attention to the differences and similarities between your two primary languages.
Writing exercises will be introduced via powerpoint slides and instructions in class, two to three weeks prior to the due date of each. Some exercises will require you to use additional resources (dictionaries, the web, the workbook, the textbooks), others will ask you to make your own observations and analyses. All work must be your own. All written sources, including web sites, must be fully and correctly cited. Exercises (and suggested additional resources) include the following: --Compare your consonant chart with your CP's (W/R 3, Ottenheimer 3, WWW, dictionaries): --Compare word order in your language and in your CP's language (W/R 4, Ottenheimer 4 WWW, grammars) --Compare your CP's nonverbal communication systems with yours (W/R 6, Ottenheimer 6)
Special notes: 1. You must NEVER use your CP's real name in anything that you write for class! Using your CP's real name in a writing assignment will result in NO CREDIT for that assignment. 2. DO NOT ask your CP to do your writing assignments. The writing assignments are designed to help you practice your linguistic anthropology skills and demonstrate your understanding of linguistic anthropology concepts. 3. DO NOT use the CP experience as a means of religious proselytizing. (If your CP attempts to proselytize you, and you are uncomfortable with this, please report to us for assistance and advice.)
Language Creating in brief
Each of the following language-creating modules will be introduced via powerpoint slides with instructions, in class. Class time will be provided for working on each module. If you keep things simple enough you should be able to complete each module during class time. You can also use the time before each class starts up to work on your modules. Please assign at least two group members to each module (suggested job titles are listed below but feel free to invent your own). Make sure you all work together to ensure maximum consistency between the modules. Grading will focus on consistency above all else. Forming groups: first week Cultural focus: second week (suggested job title: ethnographer, ethnolinguist) Consonant and vowel charts: third and fourth weeks (suggested job title: phonetician) Allophones & conditioning: fifth week (suggested job title: phonologist) Words, then affixes to inflect or derive additional words: sixth week (suggested job title: morphologist, lexicographer) Word order and sentences (declarative, negative, interrogative): seventh week (suggested job title: syntactician) Social style and social difference: eighth week (suggested job title: sociolinguist, discourse analyst, pragmatist) Politeness (greetings, e.g.): ninth week (suggested job title: etiquette specialist) Kinesics, proxemics: tenth week (suggested job title: non-verbal communication specialist) Orthography (optional): eleventh week (suggested job title: orthographer) Word borrowings and sound chart adjustments: twelfth or thirteenth week (suggested job title: historical linguist, creolist)
All projects must be written up in a project book, to be turned in and graded (25 of 60 points). Project books may be collected at strategic points during the semester to check on group progress and to provide needed feedback. A project book must consist of: a folder or binder or thin looseleaf notebook or some other compact, neat presentation a title page with the name of the group and the full names of all individuals in the group (typed) a check sheet listing the modules and the individuals responsible for each of the modules (and their 'job titles') a section/page for each module (cultural focus, sound charts, phonology, morphology, syntax, etc.) each section/module must be clearly identifiable and all information assigned must be included a conclusion, including a discussion of the value of the exercise for the group members group members should keep copies of the project books to bring to the final exam Grades will be assigned based on completeness, internal consistency, and quality of descriptive materials.
Brief presentations of each language will be made before the end of the semester. Each presentation should include: a brief description of the key aspects of the language (quick summaries of key features of each module a short skit performed in the created language, with interlinear translation into English, to include: a greeting, a request or instruction for someone to do something, or to give something to someone, and a farewell Groups should use their created proxemics, kinesics, and social styles in the skit. All group members must participate in the presentation in some way (translator, ethnologist, performer, commentator, etc.)
Questions about the created languages will be appended to the final exam (25 of 60 language-creating points) anth220spring2006.doc (web title = syllabus.doc)