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SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

B.A. ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

DISCIPLINE CORE
B21EG05DC

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS
CREDITS - 6

Course Objectives
1. To gain knowledge of phonology, morphology and semantics, thereby learning the
nuances of articulation and how vocabulary and meaning are constructed.
2. To learn about words, phrases and syntax - the ways in which sentences are
constructed.
3. To learn how sentences are related to each other and how they can be transformed in
various ways.
4. To develop the skills necessary to analyse sentence structure.
5. To use some of the tools and methods of modern linguistics.
Course Outcomes

Upon completing the course learners will,
1. be able to have a good concept about the language structure of Modern English.
2. be able to give an account of a syntax topic orally.
3. be able to write with greater independence and linguistic correctness.
4. have competence to pronounce words and sentences (phonology)
5. know how to break down a large word into its component parts (morphology)
6. know how to relate words and sentences to their meanings (semantics)

COURSE DETAILS

BLOCK 1: Introduction to Language and Linguistics

UNIT 1 Theories Related to the Origin of Language – Human Language as Opposed
to Animal Communication – Speech and Writing.
UNIT 2 Branches of Linguistics – Psycho-Linguistics, Ethno-Linguistics,
Socio- Linguistics, Neurolinguistics.
UNIT 3 Language Varieties – Idiolect – Dialect – Isogloss – Register – Pidgin, Creole
- Bilingualism – Diglossia.
UNIT 4 Approaches to the Study of Linguistics – Synchronic and Diachronic
– Descriptive and Prescriptive – Traditional and Modern.
UNIT 5 Concepts of Langue, Parole – Competence, Performance.

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