LING 5112 - Field Linguistics

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2017

This course will be useful to all PG students of Linguistics who are preparing for their role as researchers and practitioners. The course focuses on language as it is spoken and our ability as researchers to render that language in a form that is suitable for analysis. Students will learn how to collect/record data, how to manage and store it and how to go about analysing it for a range of purposes, including language description and contrastive analysis to identify areas of difficulty for language learners. The course will necessarily deal with the context in which data collection takes place and will address research ethics and protocols, the Observer's Paradox, and practicalities of recording, transcribing (both broad and narrow IPA transcription), organising (tagging) and archiving data. The course will look at the nature of the language data that is being recorded: oral vs written; natural speech versus elicited speech; ethnography of communication; varieties of language, borrowing, code-switching, style-shifting and diglossia. A range of analytical approaches will also be addressed. The particular focus of analysis will depend on the student cohort and their specific needs, but will include several of the following: Phonemic Analysis; Orthography Design; Contrastive Analysis (identifying difficulties for language learners); Morphological Analysis; Semantic Analysis; Lexicography; Syntactic Analysis; Analysis of Code-Switching. As a result this course will be able to address basic understandings and analytic techniques through practical investigation.

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Course Details

Course Code	LING 5112
Course	Field Linguistics
Coordinating Unit	Linguistics
Term	Semester 2
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	6
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	Completed degree (72 units) including minimum 24 units in Applied Linguistics
Assessment	1000 word data collection (20%), 2000 word analysis (30%), 3000 word academic article (50%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Rob Amery

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Be aware of ethical considerations and observe protocols in linguistic fieldwork
2	Learn how to record and document languages
3	Be able to transcribe recordings in IPA (both broad and narrow transcription)
4	Be familiar with state of the art data storage and archive maintenance
5	Be able to use dedicated linguistic databases and software (eg Toolbox)
6	Be familiar with on-line resources for language documentation and preservation
7	Be able to apply linguistic analytical procedures
8	Develop strategies for language elicitation and language learning in one-on-one contexts
9	Perform contrastive analysis and understand the implications for language learners
10	Be able to present a description and analysis of an aspect of a language in publishable form

University Graduate Attributes

No information currently available.

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Course text book:
Bowern, Claire. (2015) Linguistic Fieldwork: A Practical Guide. 2nd edition. Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke, UK.

Available at Coop Bookshop.

Recommended Resources

Journal: Language Documentation and Conservation

S. Bird and G. Simons. 2003. “Seven dimensions of portability for language documentation and description.” Language 79:557-582.

N. Himmelmann. 1998. “Documentary and descriptive linguistics." Linguistics 36:161-195.

Seifart, Frank, Geoffrey Haig, Nikolaus P. Himmelmann, Dagmar Jung, Anna Margetts and Paul Trilsbeek (eds). 2012. Potentials of Language Documentation Methods, Analyses and Utilization, Language Documentation & Conversation. Special Publication No. 3. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Gippert, Jost & Nikolaus P. Himmelmann & Ulrike Mosel (eds). 2006. Essentials of language documentation. Trends in Linguistics, Studies and Monographs 178, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

Healy, Alan (ed.) (1975) Language Lerner’s Field Guide. Summer Institute of Linguistics, Ukarumpa, Papua & New Guinea.

Online Learning

Research papers, language data and useful web links will be shared through MyUni.

The following websites have useful on-line resources and numerous additional web links:

Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity (RNLD)

SOAS Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project

On-Line Resources for Endangered Languages (OREL) http://www.hrelp.org/languages/resources/orel/

Open Language Archives Community (OLAC):

Ethnologue

World Atlas of Linguistic Structures (WALS)

Paradisec

AIATSIS

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lecture/Seminar/Discussion
(The class, small groups and individuals will have access to a language informant; or will work with each other, taking turns to act as language informants)
Demonstration in-situ with language informant;
Small group discovery tasks working with language informant;
One-on-one consultation sessions with language informant
One-on-one or small group instruction in use of software
Small-group collaborative transcription and analysis sessions
One-on-one or small group consultation sessions with lecturer

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1 x 2 hour seminar/workshop per week (x 12)	24 hours
6hrs Transcription and Data Analysis per week (from Week 3-13)	66 hours
6hrs Reading per week (X 13)	78 hours
6hrs Assignment Preparation per week (X 13)	78 hours
Research(5hrs pw X 13) + 1hr	66 hours
TOTAL	312 hours

Learning Activities Summary

Schedule
Week 1	Introduction to Field Linguistics; Varieties of Language
Week 2	Research Ethics and Protocols; Recording Practicalities
Week 3	IPA & Phonetic Transcription (broad and narrow)
Week 4	Organising and Archiving Data; Toolbox and other software
Week 5	Elicitation
Week 6	Phonemic Analysis and Orthography Design
Week 7	Contrastive Phonological Analysis
Week 8	Morphological Analysis
Week 9	Morphophonemics
Week 10	Lexicography and Lexical Semantics
Week 11	Eliciting Syntactic Structures, Syntactic Analysis & Contrastive Syntax
Week 12	Writing an Analytical Linguistics Paper

Specific Course Requirements

Please note that, due to the nature of the Field Linguistics course and taking into account the specific needs of students, the Learning Activities Summary is indicative only. It might be that more or less emphasis will be placed on particular topics depending on the particular language of study and the problems it throws up and the particular interests of the students.

Small Group Discovery Experience

The Field Linguistics class itself will not be large. There will be further opportunity to work in very small groups of 2, 3 or 4 students, sometimes together with the language informant.
Students are encouraged to work together in small groups in learning how to record and document a language, and in learning how to organise and analyse their data. However, any work presented for assessment must be an original, individual contribution.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due	Weighting	Learning Outcome
Phonological Analysis (1,000 words)	Summative	11 Sept	20%	2, 3, 7, 8
Morphological Analysis (1,500 wds)	Summative	9 October	20%	7, 8
Text Analysis (1,500 words)	Summative	23 October	20%	7, 8
Research Article (4,000 words)	Summative	10 November	30%	9, 10
Language Learning Journal	Formative	21 Aug, 3 Oct, 3 Nov	10%	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

Assessment Related Requirements

All assessment components must be completed to qualify for a final result.

Assessment Detail

Phonological Analysis (1,000 words)
Undertake a phonological analysis of the language under study identifying the phonemes and their allophones. Provide evidence for your analysis. Specify the phonotactic constraints. Devise a practical orthography for the language under study.

Morphological Analysis (1,500 words)
Provide a comprehensive description of the morphological and morphophonological processes operative within the language under study, including examples to illustrate. Distinguish between inflectional and derivational morphology.

Text Analysis (1,500 words)
Record and analyse a text which includes dialog between persons of different status levels (eg royalty in dialog with villages OR middle class parents talking with their children and servants). Provide an interlinear gloss and free translation and a short commentary on differences betwen the different forms of the language used by different speakers.

Research Article (4,000 words)
On the basis of data obtained and analysed prepare an article of publishable quality and specifications. This paper may concern a unique, interesting or unusual aspect of the structure of the target language (phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon, semantics, pragmatics, discourse, politeness strategies etc). (ie genius of the target language) or may seek to show how features of the language do or do not conform to various linguistic theories, typological frameworks etc.

Alternatively

Students may prepare a paper on anticipated difficulties speakers of the target language might have in learning and speaking English based on data they have obtained from the language consultant. (ie contrastive analysis) Consider phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic and sociolinguistic aspects (eg politeness strategies)

Language Learning Journal
Over the duration of the semester, compile a language learning journal reflecting on your attempts to learn and document the language under study. Your journal should include preparatory steps taken during Weeks 1 and 2 prior to your language learning efforts proper. The journal should identify areas that are particularly challenging and rewarding. The journal will be submitted three times over the semester to enable the Course Coordinator and Language Consultant to provide feedback and/or adjust the delivery of the course.

Submission

1.        All assignments (with the exception of the Language Learning Journal) are to be submitted via MyUni.

2.       Ensure that your cohort, the Course Title and Assignment Title and Topic appear on the cover sheet.

3.        All assignments must be typed and in grammatical English. Assignments must be double-spaced with a minimum 12 point font.

4.        Always keep a copy of your work. (Just occasionally things do go astray)

5.        Assignments submitted late require a doctor’s certificate, counsellor’s certificate or similar proof/documentation.

6.        Extensions (normally up to one week) may be negotiated through the Course Coordinator, but this MUST be organised prior to the due date. Application for Assessment Extension forms are found at

7.      Penalty with no extension is 2% per day up to 7 days (including weekends and plublic holidays).

8.      Assignments which are more than 7 days overdue without an approved extension will not be accepted.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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