In this course, we explore how language reflects and shapes how people perceive and interact with the world. Our investigation into this topic will begin with a broad overview of the relationship between language, cognition, and culture. We will discuss theories that seek to describe this relationship while analyzing data from a variety of languages that demonstrate these ideas. We will particularly focus on language domains such as verb tense and aspect, color terms, magnitude, space, and time. In addition to theoretical discussion, students will also explore and implement some of the methodologies and techniques that may be used to collect and analyze data on this topic. As we discuss the topics within this course, we will keep in mind the value that recognizing, documenting, and preserving cognitive diversity can have for various academic disciplines and humanity more broadly.
Learning Outcomes:
-A theoretical understanding of how language reflects cross-cultural variation in thinking patterns
-The ability to identify and employ appropriate methodologies to document and analyze the relationship between language, culture, and thought
-The ability to recognize and accommodate cultural and cognitive differences in students’ own language-learning pursuits or cross-cultural interactions
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites:
Students must have taken a previous course in linguistics, anthropology, or psychology.
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 4
Th 1:40PM - 5:20PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 16
Course Frequency: One time only
Categories: All courses , Cultural Studies and Languages , Fully In-Person , Sociolinguistics , Updates
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