230558 Linguistic Theory (S) (WiSe 2007/2008)

Background information on Grundmodul 1.1. "Linguistic Theory"
"GM 1.1 bietet einen Überblick über das Spektrum linguistischer Analyse- und Modellierungsmethoden, insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Rolle der Sprache im heutigen globalen Medienkontext, und vermittelt vertieftes Wissen über Sprache, ihre Strukturen, kommunikativen Funktionen und Varietäten. Der Einsatz theoretisch fundierter linguistischer Beschreibungs- und Dokumentationsmethoden zusammen mit problem-, projekt- und korpusorientierten Arbeitstechniken und individueller Web-Portfolio-Erstellung dient dem Ziel, den interkulturellen Stellenwert der englischen Sprache als heutige lingua franca in der Praxis internationaler Kommunikation sowie als Medium globaler literarischer und kultureller Interaktion herauszuarbeiten."
Goals
The Linguistic Theory seminar aims to provide a research-level introduction to the domains and methods of linguistics and its applications, with emphasis on theory formation procedures and argumentation in contrast to the ready-made "facts" which are often introduced for pedagogical reasons at earlier qualification stages.
Addressees
Basically anyone interested in linguistic theory, but in particular students in their first semester of M.A. (Master) studies. Other students at M.A. level and above (e.g. Magister, SII, Ph.D.) students are, of course, also welcome.
Qualifications:

In order to get the full qualification (5 points), the following is expected of all participants:

1. Regular attendance.
2. Production of a "Learner Diary" or "Portfolio" as follows:

• The portfolio will contain summaries of class materials, answers to exercises, illustrations and examples of relevant points, and a glossary of technical terms and definitions. Each participant must place the portfolio on his/her web site. If the participant does not yet have a web site, a web site must be created.
• The main reason for putting portfolios on a web site is to permit efficient checking and feedback by me.
• The portfolio must be formatted according to professional criteria using OpenOffice, MS-Word, or a similar word processor.
• The portfolio will be graded.

3. Term paper.

Class content
Topics
The fundamental orientation of the seminar will be the concept of theory space, with the three dimensions of

1. Domain (signs, their expression, structure and meaning)
2. Empirical methods (observation, interpretation, generalisation; use of corpora and experimentation; statistical analysis)
3. Formal methods (systematic description; formulation of rules; logic; computation)

This concept of theory space will be applied to different areas of linguistics, and related areas which are also relevant to literary and cultural studies such as sociolinguistics and linguistic stylistics, the concept of metaphor, etc. The three dimensions will be illustrated and practised in selected case studies.

Bibliography

References will be provided on the course website.

External comments page

http://wwwhomes.uni-bielefeld.de/~gibbon/Classes/Classes2007WS/