LING 11.11 Languages of the World
This course examines cross-cultural differences as manifested in languages of the world and the way these languages are used by their speakers. We will take an in-depth look at five languages – Japanese, Swahili, Jacaltec, Mohawk, and Cape York Creole. In each unit we will start with a brief examination of the structure of that language, and then branch out to a broader discussion of one or more larger, cross-linguistic phenomena and how they are manifested in that language. These include: politeness and social solidarity; universal patterns of word order and word-formation; multilingualism and language choice; language and ethnic identity; case and agreement systems; endangered languages and language revitalization; and pidgins and creoles.
Instructor
Ernst