EUJAZ Introduction to the study of language

Prague City University
winter term 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Doc. PhDr. Zdeněk Starý, CSc. (lecturer)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives (in Czech)
The goal of the course is to outline notional framework applied in commonly in linguistic texts and language descriptions the students encounter in their study of foreign language (English). The course starts from core ideas of semiotics, illustrates them on linguistic as well as non-linguistic material, and then turns to fundamental notions of phonology, morphology, lexicology and syntax to conclude with presentation of theories that reach outside of traditional language structure.
Learning outcomes (in Czech)
Active knowledge of notions and terms used for language description. Ability to apply these notional tools to language. Functions of language and reflection of place of language in society.
Syllabus (in Czech)
1. Languages as a semiotic system 2. Sign: sign vs. figure, elementary vs. compound signs, types of signs. 3. Infinitesimal world and „small“ language: reduction mechanisms of language 4. Semiosis and its dimensions: syntactics, semantics, pragmatics 5. Phoneme and core idea of phonology. Phoneme, allophones, distinctive features, privative opposition. 6. Morphology: morpheme, (allo)morphs, kinds of morphemes. Affixation vs. reduplication. 7. Word. Morphological typology of languages. 8. Syntax: dependency syntax, immediate constituent structure (syntax) 9. Transformation. 10. Langue vs. parole (Language vs. Speech), postulates of linguistics. 11. Synchrony vs. Diachrony, genealogical classification of languages. 12. Functions of languages. 13. Language, thought, society – beyond the structural linguistics framework.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Written homeworks. Active participation in class. Written final test – the test focuses on basic notions introduced in the course and students‘ ability to apply them to language data.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms winter 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (winter term 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.praguecityuniversity.cz/course/pcu/winterterm2023/EUJAZ