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Res. Asst. Ali İlya

The general aim of this course is to introduce the nature of language to the future foreign language teachers and help them have a general understanding of what language actually is.

With respect to the specific aims, there are several aims of this course: (1) First of all, the present course aims to familiarize them with the biological bases of language and language development in human beings and other species (e.g., animals) by presenting a thorough discussion of the differences between animal communication and human languages. (2) Secondly, this course aims to introduce the definition, content, usage and research areas of language as well as fundamental linguistic concepts.  (3) Another aim of this course is to acquaint the future foreign language teachers with the sounds of English language covered in the IPA chart (International Phonetic Alphabet) and their characteristics  (e.g. voiced and voiceless sounds, place of articulation, consonant sounds, manner of articulation, vowels, etc.), and the sound patterns of language (e.g. phonology, phonemes, phonemes and allophones, minimal pairs, phonotactics, syllables, coarticulation effects, etc.). (4) Fourthly, this course aims to familiarize future foreign language teachers with the traditional subfields (i.e., sub-branches) of linguistics including Phonetics (the study of the production, acoustics and hearing of speech sounds), Phonology (the patterning of sounds), Morphology (the structure of words), Syntax  (the structure of sentences), and Semantics (the study of meaning), and their use in foreign language teaching. The combination of theory and practice will be stimulated through extensive analysis and investigation of linguistic data, which would also help the students develop their critical thinking skills.

Moreover, this course aims (5) to familiarize future foreign language teachers with the traditional subfields (i.e., sub-branches) of linguistics including Pragmatics (language in context) and Discourse Analysis, and their use in foreign language teaching. Furthermore, it aims (6) to familiarize the students with the relationship between language and the brain as well as to help them learn the concepts and principles of Neurolinguistics. (7)  It also aims to teach the underlying processes and different theories that account for not only first language acquisition but also second language acquisition/learning. (8) The course also aspires to help the student to gain a firm understanding of language history, its change over time, and the diversity of languages with a focus on the English language. Within this scope, it is also aimed to teach the different accents and dialects of English spoken around the world. Moreover, (9) another aim is to help the students comprehend the influence of regional, social, and cultural factors on language. Lastly, (10) it aims to teach the relationship among language, culture, and society by focusing on the discussion of how closely they are intertwined and interdependent.

The present course, Linguistics, covers the field of linguistics, in which several important selected topics are covered. The core of this course includes the origins of language, as well as the general laws and principles that govern the structure of languages with a specific focus on the English language. What language is, and the properties and functions of language are among the content covered in this course. What communication refers to, and the communication of other species (e.g. animals) are also covered in this course. Furthermore, the similarities and differences between animal communication and human languages are included and discussed in detail. The biological bases of language and human language development are also covered in depth. The definition, content, usage and research areas of language as well as fundamental linguistic concepts are among the other points to be emphasized throughout the course. Most importantly, the traditional subfields (i.e., sub-branches) of linguistics and their use in foreign language teaching are covered in this course: Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, and Semantics. The course also includes the coverage of IPA chart (International Phonetic Alphabet) by an extensive practice with the transcription of sounds. All in all, all of these content are covered in the coursework of Linguistics I, and the students receive a solid foundation for the field of Linguistics.

This course also primarily focuses on the process of language development and change. The content of the course includes having a thorough understanding of the processes of first language acquisition and second language acquisition/learning. The course continues elaborating upon the other subfields (i.e., sub-branches) of linguistics including Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis. Afterward, the field of Neurolinguistics and the relationship between language and the brain (language areas in the brain, tongue tips and slips, aphasia, the critical period) are covered in depth. The relevance of the field of linguistics to language acquisition theories and language teaching methods is also among the topics covered in this course. The course content also elaborates upon how languages develop as well as the theoretical perspectives on how first language acquisition and second language acquisition/learning take place. Accordingly, the underlying processes and different theories that account for both first language acquisition and second language acquisition/learning are covered briefly. The remainder of the course focuses on language history and change, language families, and the influence of regional, social, and cultural factors on language, all of which are discussed in depth. The history of English including Old English, Middle English, Early Modern, and Modern English as well as the diversity of languages, and different accents and dialects of English are also elaborated upon within this course. The relationship among language, culture, and society is among the contents which are covered as a part of this course.