SE1411: Sound, Structure and Meaning
| School | Language and Communication |
| Department Code | ENCAP |
| Module Code | SE1411 |
| External Subject Code | 100318 |
| Number of Credits | 20 |
| Level | L6 |
| Language of Delivery | English |
| Module Leader | Dr Andreas Buerki |
| Semester | Spring Semester |
| Academic Year | 2018/9 |
Outline Description of Module
This module equips students with the necessary terminology and practical skills for the linguistic description and analysis of text that is the basis of applied and topic-specific language studies. The module will cover the basics of phonology, grammatical structure and clause semantics from a theory-neutral perspective.
On completion of the module a student should be able to
- Understand the meaningful phonemic consonant and vowel distinctions in English
- Understand the basics of the English Intonation system
- Recognise and label the main word classes in English
- Undertake basic morphological analysis of words
- Divide and label a clause in terms of its constituent parts at various ranks
- Identify and label conjunctive relations between clauses
How the module will be delivered
Timetabled sessions include two lectures and one seminar per week. During seminars you will be expected to complete practical tasks based on the preceding lectures. Lectures are usually accompanied by PowerPoint slides and handouts summarising content at a reasonable level of detail. These are usually made available on Learning Central prior to or immediately after each seminar. Audio and video may be used in this module. Transcripts are provided where the audio or visual texts are analysed in detail or are a core element of the seminar.
Skills that will be practised and developed
The module practices and develops a range of transferable analytical skills:
- Analysis and description of the sound, structure and meaning of English clauses
- Solving of abstract analytical tasks
- Presentation of detailed and accurate work in a systematic fashion
- Independent and small-group work in problem-solving
- the module is also relevant to all the employability pathways
How the module will be assessed
The module is assessed by exam (50%) and coursework (50%).
The module is assessed according to the Assessment Criteria set out in the English Language Undergraduate Student Handbook. Otherwise, there are no academic or competence standards which limit the availability of adjustments or alternative assessments for students with disabilities.
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REASSESSMENT IN THIS MODULE:
In accordance with University regulations, students are allowed two attempts at retrieval of any failed essay, for a maximum module mark of 40%. Resit assessments are held over the summer.
Assessment Breakdown
| Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assessment | 50 | Coursework - Analytical Tasks | N/A |
| Exam - Spring Semester | 50 | Sound, Structure And Meaning | 1.5 |
Syllabus content
The consonant and vowel system of English
Phonemes: Minimum units of meaning
Basic syntax of the English clause
Elements of the verbal group
Elements of the nominal group
Essential Reading and Resource List
Collins, B & I Mees. 2013 Practical Phonetics and Phonology. Second Edition. London: Routledge.
Nelson, G. and S. Greenbaum. 2016. An Introduction to English Grammar. Fourth edition London: Routledge
Taylor, J. 2003. Linguistic Categorization. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Taylor, J. 2012. The Mental Corpus. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum. 1973. A University Grammar of English. Harlow: Longman.
van Gelderen, E. 2002. An Introduction to the Grammar of English: syntactic arguments and socio-historical
background. Amsterdam: John Benjamin’s Publishing Company.
Background Reading and Resource List
Further information about recommended further reading will be provided at the start of the module.