Final exam information: In addition to the lecture notes, please study chapters
7, 9, 10 and 12 from the text. If you have any question, please email me.
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Quiz question Term paper Marks
University of Lethbridge
Introduction to
Language, Culture and Communication
ANTH 2510
Winter 2007
Instructor: Dr. Hugo De Burgos, Ph.D.
Office: TBA
E-mail: deburgos@ualberta.ca
Web Page: www.ualberta.ca/deburgos
Lecture Time: M/W 17:00-19:50
Lecture Room: 1314
Office Hours: By appointment.
Course Description: This course provides students with a basic
understanding of various anthropological approaches to the study of language.
It examines human culture and society
through language, as the most complex cognitive capacity of human beings. The
course also aims at introducing students to the fundamentals of linguistic
analysis, structure and the key concepts of language, culture, and society. Students
will learn how language both reflects and shapes thought, culture, and
power. The role of language choice in the construction of national, ethnic
and other social identities will be also examined. The format of most class
sessions will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Ethnographic films
will complement the lectures.
Required Textbook: Salzmann, Zdenek. Language, Culture and Society (fourth edition).
Course Objectives: After successfully completing this course, students will:
1) Understand that the concepts that govern our thoughts are not just matters of the intellect. They also govern our everyday functioning, down to the most mundane detail because language provides a shared means for representing the surrounding world.
2) Comprehend that although some languages have less grammar than others, the degree of grammatical complexity is not a measure of how effective a particular language is.
3) Understand that because all languages serve the sociocultural needs of those who use them, there is no such thing as a primitive or less developed language.
4) Understand that language is not a neutral or value free way of communicating, relations of power and inequality are often embedded in it.
Format of Exams and assignments: Both the midterm and final exams will be based upon the content of lectures, readings, and films seen in class; and will consist of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank and true/false questions. Students will also be graded on a take home exam, class participation and a term paper, for which instructions will be given in class.
Assignment and evaluation:
_________________________________________________________________________________
5% Quiz: One page in length, typed, double-spaced, on a specific question, which will be given in class. (Due date: May 23)
10% Class participation (being absent is clearly not participating; thus, students who miss classes seriously decrease their chances of getting an A), class attendance will be taken.
30% Midterm
exam (May 28)
25% Term paper (five pages in length, typed, double-spaced, on a specific subject. A list of topics and guidelines to properly writing an anthropological paper will be provided in class (Due date: June 20).
30% Final (non-cumulative) exam based on lectures, readings and films seen in class (June 25).
Grade Criterion
|
Percentage |
Letter Grade |
Comment |
Letter Grade |
|
95-100 |
A+ |
Outstanding |
4.00 |
|
90-94 |
A |
Excellent |
4.00 |
|
85-89 |
A- |
Excellent |
3.70 |
|
80-84 |
B+ |
Good |
3.30 |
|
77-79 |
B |
Good |
3.00 |
|
74-76 |
B- |
Good |
2.70 |
|
70-73 |
C+ |
Satisfactory |
2.30 |
|
67-69 |
C |
Satisfactory |
2.00 |
|
60-66 |
C- |
Satisfactory |
1.70 |
|
57-59 |
D+ |
Minimal pass |
1.30 |
|
50-56 |
D |
Minimal pass |
1.00 |
|
0-49 |
F |
Fail |
0.00 |
Students are responsible for
taking their own notes during lectures. The instructor has no obligation to
provide lecture notes, other than in class.
Absolutely no cellular phones, iPods, or recording devices are allowed in class.
|
Dates |
Chapters |
|
May-07 |
1 Introducing Linguistic Anthropology |
|
May-09 |
2
Communication and Speech |
|
May-14 |
3
Language and Culture and 6 Language Origins |
|
May-16 |
4 The
Structure of Language: Phonology |
|
May-23 |
5
Structure of Words and Sentences |
|
May-28 |
Midterm
exam |
|
May-30 |
7
Language Through Time |
|
Jun-04 |
8
Language Variation |
|
Jun-06 |
9
Language in Its Social Context |
|
Jun-11 |
10
Language, Gender, Ethnicity, and Class |
|
Jun-13 |
11
Ethnography of Communication |
|
Jun-18 |
12
Nonverbal Communication, Writing, and Spoken Art |
|
Jun-20 |
13
Linguistic Anthropology in the Contemporary World |
|
Jun-25 |
Final
exam |
Understanding
Plagiarism: Definition: Plagiarism is the act,
intentional or otherwise, of copying or borrowing words or ideas without
properly acknowledging the original source. Plagiarism is a form of theft.
Plagiarism constitutes improper student conduct. It carries punishments ranging
from academic penalty to expulsion from the college. What constitutes plagiarism? Plagiarism is often misunderstood. Plagiarism is
not simply the act of copying text word-for-word; rather, it has a number of
different forms. Plagiarism occurs when
· a student hands in work done wholly or in part by another person
· portions (paragraph, sentence, phrase) of a submitted work are taken from another source without proper reference to that source
· a student paraphrases sections of another work without acknowledging the source
· ideas in a work are borrowed, derived or developed from another source without reference to that source (for example, "checking a few internet sites for ideas")
It is also an act of academic dishonesty when, without prior instructor approval, a student hands in work in one class when the work was prepared for another class.
How to avoid plagiarism: The simplest way to avoid plagiarism is to
reference any sources properly (using both in-text, parenthetical citations in
the body of your assignment and a Works Cited or References page at the end).
While it is commonplace in academia to build upon the knowledge of others, it
is necessary to clearly state the sources and foundations of that knowledge.
Instructions on how to make proper referencing will be provided in class.
Penalties for plagiarism:
Plagiarized work will receive a grade of zero, and may include other academic penalties. If you have any question about plagiarism, please consult your instructor
Disclaimer: The information in this Course Outline is subject to change; any changes will be announced in class. For a more complete syllabus, please see the course web page.