2020Synopsis
What is the relationship between language and thought? Do people from different languages and cultures think differently? Are some thoughts unthinkable without language? By drawing on research and fieldwork from a range of disciplines, including linguistics, psychology, and anthropology, the first aim of this course is to address these fundamental questions and broaden students’ understandings of the debates and controversies in studying the relationship between language, culture, and cognition. The second aim is to introduce students to contemporary methods for identifying and describing different types of social and cultural aspects of linguistic meaning in situational contexts. Through examining language as a product of the human mind, you will take a problem-solving, interactive approach to exploring ways in which meaning is created by the different worlds in which people live.
Course aims
1. To introduce students to key concepts and issues in relevant theory.
2. To develop students’ problem-solving and analytical skills.
3. To provide students with the opportunity to enhance their communication skills both individually and as members of a group.
Course objectives
On successful completion of the course, students will be able t
1. Compare and evaluate different and competing theories of language, culture, and cognition.
2. Understand the role of context in the generation of meaning.
3. Apply key concepts introduced in the course to discover and analyze patterns in language theory and data.
