Linguistic Anthropology, Languages and Symbolic Systems

This subject belongs to the block of essential subjects, regarded as basic for training students of Degree in Anthropology. It provides training necessary for mastering language and cultural anthropology.

Professional profile: those determined in the Degree description (https://www.usal.es/grado-en-antropologia/salidas-academicas).

Topic 0.- Language and Linguistics.

Topic 1.-  The origin of human language. Biological, cognitive and sociocultural bases of human language. Human language and animal communicative systems. Language genes.

Topic 2.- Means of language and language levels. Analysis of language levels: phonetics and phonology; morphology; syntax; semantics and pragmatics.

Topic 3.- Language development and language acquisition. Language during the lifespan. Individual bilingualism and multilingualism.

Topic 4.- Language in mind and brain. Language processing and production. Language impairments.

The proposed contents will be itemized into specific theoretical subjects and compulsory suggested readings. Detailed programme will be handed in on the first day of the course.

Degree Basic Competences (CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5)

CB1. Acquire knowledge and understand concepts related to the field of study building on advanced textbooks on the subject. Apply cutting-edge knowledge in the field of study.

CB2. Apply knowledge to one’s own work or vocation in a professional way. Master essential skills and display them through development and defense of arguments and problem resolution in the field of study.

CB3. Collect and interpret relevant data in the field of study and make reflexive judgements on relevant topics.

CB4. Convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialized audience, either orally or in written form, in a clear and unambiguous way.

CB5. Develop necessary learning abilities for conveying future studies in an autonomous way.

General competences (CG1, CG3, CG4, CG5):

CG1. Develop full capacity for autonomous learning: holistic, theoretically based and with high degree of applicability.

CG3. Apply knowledge of different areas of study to resolution of specific problems in new or less-known settings within broader contexts (interdisciplinary, multicultural and/or international).

CG4. Know and apply different research methods, mainly in the area of Humanities and Social Sciences, in order to study human diversity in all dimensions.

CG5. Develop strong critical and ethical consciousness with regard to work, its theory, methods and results. 

Specific competences (CE1, CE2, CE3, CE4, CE5, CE7, CE12):

CE1. Recognize the main theories and approaches to the anthropological (holistic) vision of the Man and the concept of Culture.

CE2. Identify different cultural processes and adaptative systems of humans to physical settings.

CE3. Describe and define cultural diversity in all spheres (biological, historical, political, economic, social, etc.) from a holistic and comparative perspective, and considering its variation.

CE4. Categorize and differentiate human societies from the point of view of physical materiality and from the perspective of their cultural processes and constructs.

CE5. Recognize cultural processes in social transformation of the past and the present.

CE7. Critically analyze the reality from holistic perspective and on the basis of the most salient epistemological and methodological debates in Anthropology and other fields of research, including their professional and scientific background.

CE12. Understand, analyze and set forth how changes in contemporaneous society affect culture from both local and global perspectives.

BASIC REFERENCES:

ANDERSON, Catherine (2017): Essentials of Linguistics. Hamilton: McMaster University. 

ESCANDELL VIDAL, M. Victoria et al. (2014): Claves del lenguaje humano. Madrid: Ramón Areces. 

YULE, George (2006): The study of language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

The subject includes compulsory reading of 4 scientific papers that will be provided at the beginning of the course.  
 

(I) HUMAN LANGUAGE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION

BENÍTEZ-BURRACO, Antonio (2009): Genes y lenguaje. Aspectos ontogenéticos, filogenéticos y cognitivos. Barcelona: Reverté.

BENÍTEZ-BURRACO, Antonio y Lluiís BARCELÓ-COBLIJN (2015): El origen del lenguaje. Madrid: Síntesis.

BOECKX, Cedric & Antonio BENÍTEZ-BURRACO (2016): Components of the language-ready brain. Frontiers in Psychology (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/3624/components-of-the-language-ready-brain)

(II) LANGUAGE STRUCTURE

KRACHT, Marcus (2007). Introduction to Linguistics. Los Angeles: UCLA. 

PAYNE, Thomas E. (2006): Exploring language structure: a student’s guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

(III) LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

BIALYSTOK, Ellen (2001): Bilingualism in development: language, literacy, and cognition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

MARISCAL, Sonia (2014): Adquisición del lenguaje. Madrid: Síntesis.

(IV) LANGUAGE IN MIND AND BRAIN

COSTA, Albert (2019): El cerebro bilingüe. Barcelona: Penguin.

FRIEDERICI, Angela D. (2017): Language in our brain: the origins of a uniquely human capacity. Cambridge: MIT Press.

PINKER, Steven (2010): The language instinct: how the mind creates language. New York: Harper Collins.

(V) GENERAL QUESTIONS

GUTIÉRREZ-REXACH, Javier (2016): Enciclopedia de lingüística hispánica. London: Routledge.

Assessment and evaluation revolve around four tasks:
•    Theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of study / subject (CG1, CG3, CG4, CG5, CE1, CE2, CE3, CE4, CE5, CE6, CE7, CE8, CE9, CE10, CE11, CT1)
•    Compulsory readings and seminars (CG3, CG4, CG5, CE4, CE5, CE7, CE8, CE10, CE11, CT1)
•    Group work (CG2, CG3, CG4, CG6, CG7, CE4, CE5, CE7, CE8, CE10, CE11, CT1, CT2, CT3) 
•    Individual work (CG1, CG2, CG3, CG4, CG6, CG7, CT1, CT3)

1.    Global written exam                                                                   60%
         Theoretical part
         Practical part
2.    Group presentation                                                                   15%
3.    Individual work                                                                          10%                                                          
4.    Seminars / readings                                                                  7,5%
5.    Participation in practical lessons                                               7,5%

• Evaluation of practical tasks in the classroom
• Evaluation of problem resolution and tasks conducted autonomously by the student
• Evaluation of group work
• Evaluation of active participation in the classroom and in the seminars
• Evaluation of written exam, in both theoretical and practical parts. Taking the written examen and achieving at least 5/10 in it is compulsory for passing the subject.

Class attendance and classroom active participation will be valued with up to 7,5% of the global score.

Delays in handing in practices and works will be penalized with up to 5% of the global score.

Compensation and recovery:

• written exam with short questions (it is compulsory to take the exam and to achieve at least 5/10 in it for passing the subject)
• revision of group work during the course
• revision of individual work during the course

Rating consideration is the same as described in criteria, tools and methods of evaluation.