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This course follows on from second-year syntax, covering selected advanced topics and current research in syntactic theory.
Different languages have a variety of ways to indicate “who is doing what to whom.” The order of constituents (e.g. subject, object and verb) in the clause is one: in English, The man bit the dog means something different from The dog bit the man. In other languages, the grammatical function of a constituent is additionally marked on either the noun phrase, the verb, or both. In this course, the question of how languages mark who is doing what to whom is explored from a cross-linguistic perspective. We will look at some of the main ways in which the various types of relationships between constituents in the clause are expressed in different languages. What are the possible (and probable) systems of organisation and categories we find? How do languages encode different relations, and how is this connected to other things we know about language, like semantics or information structure, and factors outside of language? We will have a look into a variety of functional and usage-based explanations for the forces that shape grammar.Relation to other courses:This is one of a range of 300-level courses available for students majoring in Linguistics either for the BA or the BSc, alongside LING307, LING310, and LING320. It can also be taken by students majoring in English Language or other disciplines.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:1. Show knowledge and understanding in the research domain of syntactic typology and be familiar with basic theories and methods;2. Relate critically to literature about syntactic typology;3. Demonstrate the ability to apply theories and methods to identify and formulate issues and to plan and carry out a limited research project within a given time frame;4. Demonstrate the ability to present and discuss your research questions and research results orally and in writing.
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
LING217
Dineke Schokkin
There is no textbook for this course. Weekly readings will be posted on Learn.
Library portalThe course outline is available on LEARN (only for students enrolled in this course). LEARN
Domestic fee $1,570.00
International fee $7,000.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .