Undergraduate - UnitATS3677 - Aboriginal languages of Australia

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	Linguistics
Offered	Clayton First semester 2014 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Alice Gaby

Notes

Previously coded LIN3370

Synopsis

The size of Australia and its long history of human inhabitation have produced considerable linguistic diversity, although its languages generally share similar phonologies, cognate words, and recurrent patterns of meaning. In its overview of phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics, this unit will examine what structural features can be considered typical of Australian languages, and how/whether these can be related to typical features of Australian cultures. It will also examine the present sociolinguistic status of Australian aboriginal languages, bilingualism and the role of linguistics in language maintenance and revitalization.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students will:

Understand key features of the phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of Australian Aboriginal languages and be able to identify such features in a number of different Aboriginal languages.
Be aware of some of the key theoretical issues regarding the structure of Aboriginal languages.
Understand relevant sociolinguistic issues including language status, bilingualism and the role of linguistics in language maintenance and revival and the implication of these for language education and planning.

More generally students are expected to develop their abilities to:

Read critically.
Use analytic and interpretive skills in dealing with language data.
Assess evidence supporting various theories and thereby evaluate these theories.
Present logical, coherent arguments both orally and in writing.

Assessment

Written work (3600 words): 80%
Class exercises and participation: 20%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Alice Gaby

Workload requirements

2 hours (1 x 2 hour seminar) per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Linguistics
Indigenous cultures and histories

Prerequisites

Two gateway units in Linguistics

Prohibitions

ATS2677