VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HCMC

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

COURSE SYLLABUS
I. Course Name: INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LINGUISTICS
II. Course Code: NVA077
III.Course Credits: 3 (60 periods (55 minutes each) in time length)
IV. Course Prerequisites
The course requires English major students of the third year to have a system of basic
knowledge and complete all basic courses of language skills.
V. Course Overview
This is a theoretical course in the study of the English language which provides students
with an overview of the origin and critical issues of language. The course is particularly
designed to provide an understanding of key concepts in phonetics and phonology,
morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and discourse analysis.
VI. Course Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course students will be able to:
- Categorize specialized knowledge of English linguistics (phonetics and phonology,
morphology, syntax, semantics, stylistics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, etc.);
clarify and synthesize them and compare them with those of Vietnamese (PLO11,
PLO23, PLO33); (P.1.1; P.1.2; P.1.3)
- Effectively search and synthesize information of linguistics (using libraries, Internet,
etc.) (PLO15, PLO25, PLO35); (P.1.4; P.2.1; P.2.2; P.2.3)
- Apply basic knowledge of language in using language (PLO12, PLO111, PLO23,
PLO33); (P.3.1; P.3.2; P.3.3; P.3.4)

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Linking between course learning outcomes, teaching & learning strategies, course assessment and
program learning outcomes

No. Course learning Teaching & Course Assessment Program Learning

outcomes learning Outcomes
activities Knowledg Skills Attitudes
e
(i) Categorize specialized Lecturing Midterm exam X
knowledge of English Oral presentation Oral presentation
linguistics (phonetics, (groupwork)
phonology, Group discussion
morphology, syntax, Question &
semantics, stylistics, answer
discourse analysis,
sociolinguistics, etc.);
clarify and synthesize
them and compare
them with those of
Vietnamese (PLO11,
PLO23, PLO33)
(ii) Effectively search and Lecturing Participation & Exercises X X X
synthesize information Sharing
of linguistics (using information
libraries, Internet, etc.). Question &
(PLO15, PLO25, answer
PLO35)
(iii) Apply basic knowledge Lecturing Final exam X X
of language in using Group discussion
language. (PLO12, Practicing
PLO111, PLO23, Question &
PLO33) answer

VII. Course Content

1: The origins of language
1.1. The divine source
1.2. The natural sound source
1.3. The social interaction source
1.4. The physical adaptation source
1.5. The tool-making source
1.6. The genetic source
2: Animals and human language
2.1. Communication
2.2. Properties of human language: displacement, arbitrariness, productivity, cultural
transmission, duality
3: The sounds of language
3.1. Phonetics
3.2. Voiced and voiceless sounds
3.3. Place of articulation
3.4. Charting consonant sounds
3.5. Manner of articulation
3.6. Vowels
4: The sound patterns of language
4.1. Phonology
4.2. Phonemes

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 4.3. Phones and allophones
4.4. Minimal pairs and sets
4.5. Phonotactics
4.6. Syllables
4.7. Co-articulation effects (assimilation, elision, normal speech)
5: Word formation
5.1. Etymology
5.2. Coinage
5.3. Borrowing
5.4. Compounding
5.5. Blending
5.6. Clipping
5.7. Backformation
5.8. Conversion
5.9. Acronyms
5.10. Derivation
5.11. Multiple processes
6: Morphology
6.1. Morphology
6.2. Morphemes: free and bound morphemes, lexical and functional morphemes, derivational
and inflectional morphemes
6.3. Morphological description
6.4. Morphs and allomorphs
6.5. Other languages
7: Grammar
7.1. Grammar
7.2. Traditional grammar: the parts of speech, agreement, grammatical gender
7.3. Traditional analysis
7.4. The prescriptive approach
7.5. The descriptive approach: structural analysis, constituent analysis, labeled and bracketed
sentences, a Gaelic sentence
8: Syntax
8.1. Syntax: deep and surface structure, structural ambiguity, recursion
8.2. Tree diagrams
8.3. Symbols used in syntactic analysis
8.4. Phrase structure rules
8.5. Lexical rules
8.6. Movement rules
8.7. Back to recursion
9: Semantics
9.1. Meaning
9.2. Semantic features
9.3. Semantic roles: agent and theme; instrument and experiencer; location, source and goal
9.4. Lexical relations: synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, prototypes, homonymy, polysemy,
word play, metonymy
9.5. Collocation
10: Pragmatics
10.1. Pragmatics
10.2. Context: deixis
10.3. Reference: inference, anaphora, presupposition

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 10.4. Speech acts: direct and indirect speech acts
10.5. Politeness: negative and positive face
11: Discourse analysis
11.1. Discourse analysis
11.2. Interpreting discourse: cohesion, coherence, speech events
11.3. Conversation analysis
11.4. The co-operative principle: hedges, implicatures
11.5. Background knowledge: schemas and scripts

VIII. Texts and Materials

Required Texts and Materials
Yule, G. (2010). The study of language (4th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Supplementary (Optional) Texts and Materials

1. Eggins, S. (2004). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. 2nd ed. London:
Continuum International Publishing Group.
2. Fromkin,V. et al (1984). An Introduction to Language. (Australian Edition).
Singapore: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Group Pty Limited.
3. Hurford, J.R. and B. Heasley. (1983). Semantics, A Course Book. Cambridge
University Press.
IX. Basis for Final Grade

Assessment Percent Score Percent Note

Criteria of final grade
[A1] Midterm exam 80% Midterm score 30%
[A2] Class activities 20%
____
100%
Final exam 100% Final score 70%
____
100%
100%
Passing grade: 5/10

Guidelines for quizzes, oral group presentation, midterm and final tests.

(1) Quizzes (Class activities)

- There are two quizzes (20 – 30 minutes each).
- Each quiz weighs 10%.
(2) Midterm and Final tests:
- Exam dates: given by the English staff after the course.
- Aim(s) of the midterm and final exams: to check if students can recognize the origins and
properties of human language (0111); can be familiar with certain terms in phonetics and
phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse analysis (0212);
can apply basic knowledge of language in using language (0213).
- Format of the midterm test: 2-3 theory questions, and 3 practice questions, in about 30-45
minutes; no materials or dictionaries being allowed.

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 - Format of the final test: 7-10 questions about the knowledge and skills gained in chapters
3-11, in about 60 minutes; no materials or dictionaries being allowed.

X. Course Policies:
Students who attend the lectures at least 80%, join the Mid-term test and Total grade ≥ 5 can pass
this course.
A. Grades
Late Work Policy: There are no make-ups for in-class writing, quizzes, the midterm, or the final
exam. Written projects turned in late will be assessed a penalty: 5% loss of the associated point
value of the assignment each date it is late. Written projects will not be accepted if overdue by
more than seven days.
Group Work Policy: Everyone must take part in a group oral presentation and/or written project.
All members of a group will receive the same score; that is, the project is assessed and everyone
receives this score. Once formed, groups cannot be altered or switched, except for reasons of
extended hospitalization.
B. Technology and Media
Email: students are encouraged to contact with the instructor via email beside class hours. Email
address will be provided at the beginning of the course.
C. Student Expectations
Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class. If you are more than
fifteen minutes late, you will be marked with an absence. You should be in each and every class,
though I understand that things sometimes come up. I would appreciate some advanced notice if
you know you will be absent, and I expect you to exchange your contact information with a few
other classmates so that if you are out, you can contact them for information on what you missed
in class. You are responsible for getting the information you missed. Please keep in mind that
each time you are absent, you miss a lot of in-class discussion that may affect your overall
understanding of the topics being covered and inevitably your performance.
Professionalism Policy: Attendance is required – both physically and mentally. You are expected
to take an active role in class discussions. Also, please make sure your phone is off or on buzz
(and buried deep inside your backpack), so it’s not heard while in class. Save your text messaging
for after class or at break. I do not want to see anyone text messaging during class.
Academic Integrity
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated.

XI. Schedule (15 weeks)

Session1 Topic Objectives and Assignment
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The number of sessions may vary, depending how many periods there are in a session. This schedule assumes that
the sessions are five periods each. Wherever sessions are four periods in length (in PM classes, for instance), the
number of sessions should accordingly be adjusted by the instructor.

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1 Chapter 1: The origins of language - Read the course book, pages 1-8.
- The divine source - Discuss and answer the study
- The natural sound source questions, page 7.
- The social interaction source
- The physical adaptation source
- The tool-making source
- The genetic source

2 Chapter 2: Animals and human language - Read the course book, pages 10-
- Communication 15.
- Properties of human language: displacement, - Discuss and answer the study
arbitrariness, productivity, cultural transmission, questions, page 21.
duality

3-4 Chapter 3: The sounds of language - Read the course book, pages 25-
- Phonetics 39.
- Voiced and voiceless - Discuss and answer the study
- Place of articulation questions, page 37.
- Charting consonant sounds
- Manner of articulation
- Vowels

5 Chapter 4: The sound patterns of language - Read the course book, pages 41-
- Phonology 50.
- Phonemes - Discuss and answer the study
- Phones and allophones questions, page 49.
- Minimal pairs and sets
- Phonotactics
- Syllables
- Co-articulation effects: assimilation, elision, normal
speech

6 Chapter 5: Word formation - Read the course book, pages 52-

- Etymology 64.
- Coinage - Discuss and answer the study
- Borrowing questions, page 61.
- Compounding
- Quiz 1 [A2]
- Blending
- Clipping
- Backformation
- Conversion
- Acronyms
- Derivation
- Multiple processes

7 Chapter 6: Morphology - Read the course book, pages 66 -

- Morphology 78.
- Morphemes: free and bound morphemes, lexical - Discuss and answer the study
and functional morphemes, derivational and questions, page 75.
inflectional morphemes
- Morphological description
- Morphs and allomorphs

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 - Other languages

8 Review: Chapters 1 – 6
MID-TERM TEST (30-45 MINUTES) [A1]
9 Chapter 7: Grammar - Read the course book, pages 80-
- Grammar 95.
- Traditional grammar: the parts of speech,
- Discuss and answer the study
agreement, grammatical gender
- Traditional analysis questions, page 92.
- The prescriptive approach
- The descriptive approach: structural analysis,
constituent analysis, labeled and bracketed sentence,
a Gaelic sentence

10 Chapter 8: Syntax - Read the course book, pages 96-

- Syntax: deep and surface structure, structural 110.
ambiguity, recursion - Discuss and answer the study
- Tree diagrams questions, page 107.
- Symbols used in syntactic analysis
- Phrase structure rules
- Lexical rules
- Movement rules
- Back to recursion

11 Chapter 9: Semantics - Read the course book, pages 112-

- Meaning 125.
- Semantic features - Discuss and answer the study
- Semantic roles: agent and theme; instrument and questions, page 123.
experiencer; location, source and goal
- Lexical relations: synonymy, antonymy,
hyponymy, prototypes, homonymy, polysemy, word
play, metonymy
- Collocation

12 Review: Chapters 7 – 9
Extra practice
13 Chapter 10: Pragmatics - Read the course book, pages 127-
- Pragmatics 140.
- Context: deixis - Discuss and answer the study
- Reference: inference, anaphora, presupposition questions, page 137.
- Speech acts: direct and indirect speech acts - Quiz 2 [A2]
- Politeness: negative and positive face

14 Chapter 11: Discourse analysis - Read the course book, pages 141-
- Discourse analysis 155.
- Interpreting discourse: cohesion, coherence, speech - Discuss and answer the study
events questions, page 152.
- Conversation analysis
- The co-operative principle: hedges, implicatures
- Background knowledge: schemas and scripts

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 15 Course review

XII. References
This course syllabus is designed in reference to
- Syllabus Introduction to Linguistic Analysis of University of Oregon, website link:
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~dlpayne/dcourses/290/
- Syllabus Introduction to Linguistics of Carnegy Mellon University, website link:
http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=adamhodges

Updated by Tho Le, 20180814

Updated by Xuan Trieu 20190324