This document introduces a course on linguistics for language learners. It discusses why students are taking the course and what they will learn. The course will explore topics like phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and how they apply to language acquisition and language contact/change. It will focus on these concepts for English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. Students are encouraged to think about how the material can help them better understand the language they are studying. The class will involve active learning techniques like discussion, activities and application of the concepts rather than lectures.

1. I N T R O D U C T I O N T O C O U R S E
W H Y A R E W E H E R E ?
T H I N K I N G L I K E A L I N G U I S T
WLL 311
Introduction to linguistics
(for language learners)

2. Who are we?
 Introduce yourself!
 Why do you study another language?
 What are the benefits of learning languages?
 What are the most exciting/joyous things about
learning a new language?
 What are the most frustrating things?
 Describe a “light bulb moment” you have had
learning/studying/speaking another language

3. Why are we here?
 Linguistics in general
 Explore/compare/contrast linguistic features
 Phonetics/phonology
 Morphology
 Syntax
 Language acquisition
 Language contact and change
 Language and culture (+ social values)
 Sociolinguistics.
 Keep in mind: How can I use this material to better
understand the language I study?
 What do you already know about these topics?
 What do you find most interesting?

4. Define these words
 Phonetics:
 Phonology:
 Morphology:
 Syntax:
 Semantics
 Pragmatics:
 Speech as a physical process.
 Systems of linguistic sound structure.
 The structure of words.
 The structure of phrases/sentences
 The meaning of words and phrases.
 How speakers and writers use
language to communicate.
 Adapted from Linguistics 0001: Introduction
to Linguistics, Mark Liberman

5. How will this work?
 I don’t like lecture
 Workshop – input, work together, active learning
 Active learning requires students to think, discuss,
challenge, and analyze information.
 Protocol - Read 15-20ish pages per day, answer
discussion questions before every class,
 Class time – You come to class with basic knowledge, we
talk together, application activities  active learning

 Lecturing is boring. Forever Boring.

6. Why are we reading this textbook?
 Written by women
 Australian English (+ and -),
 Global focus.
 Other books have a LOT of English but few examples
from other languages

7. Limits of this course…
 Intro to linguistic concepts
 Linguistic features of 5 languages (English, Spanish,
French, German, Japanese)
 Language contact and change (5 languages)
 Language and culture (5 languages)

8. What is linguistics?
 How are linguistics and grammar different?

12. Excercises and activities
 Adapted from:
 Essentials of Linguistics, by Catherine Anderson
 Anderson, C. (2018, March 15). Essentials of
Linguistics – Simple Book Publishing. Pressbooks.
https://pressbooks.pub/essentialsoflinguistics/

13. Thinking like a linguist…
 Generate a sentence of English that you have never,
ever uttered or heard before. Have a friend do the
same thing. Exchange sentences with your friend.
Were you able to understand each other’s sentences?
How could you understand them, even though you
had never heard them before?

14. Thinking like a linguist…
 Pretend you’re working for a start-up. Your company has
developed a very cool new product, and they turn to you, the
linguist, to come up with a name for this new product. It has
to be a unique name that doesn’t already exist. What will you
name your company’s cool new product?
 Now, look at this list of product names generated by other
students. Which of them are good product names and which
aren’t? What makes something a good name?
 mentocular swoodiei torrix baizan
jibberdab keerild euquinu tuitionary
kzen zirka hbiufk fluxon

15. Thinking like a linguist…
 Think of a word that has only recently entered
English, so it’s not yet in mainstream dictionaries.
Observe some examples of the word being used in
context, either in your regular conversations or by
searching online. Based on your observations of the
word in context, write a dictionary definition of the
word.

16. Thinking like a linguist…
 Think about all the languages that you speak, or
about a variety of language that you’ve heard spoken
by someone you know. Make two scientific
observations about that language or a variety. Your
observations might be about the sounds of the
language, about the words, about how the sentences
are organized, or about how people use different
elements of the language. Remember that scientific
observations are descriptive, not prescriptive.