Course content

The course addresses how languages are structured and how languages differ from the point of view of contemporary linguistic theory. The comparative component will focus mainly on Norwegian and English, but other languages may be included. Issues to be explored include ways of understanding grammatical variation between different languages and varieties and implications for language learning.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Candidates who have passed this course have

- good knowledge of theories about language structure and linguistic variation, primarily (but not exclusively) based on comparative data from Norwegian and English

- good insight regarding how various linguistic approaches seek to explain basic facts and properties in natural language

- good insight into a selection of current problems and debates in linguistic theory

- good knowledge of methods of analysis and argumentation in linguistic theory

Skills

Candidates who have passed this course are able to

- analyze language structure and linguistic variation, primarily based on comparative data from Norwegian and English

- argue and reason explicitly concerning analyses of language structure and linguistic variation

- find and use relevant data in order to illustrate and investigate theoretical claims and models

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, seminars, individual projects. Students are required to use the course learning platform regularly.

Students should expect that this 7.5 credit course equates with approximately 10 hours of work per week, including teaching time.

Approved obligatory assignment is valid for 2 semesters (the semester in which the approval is given, plus the following semester).

The required readings are in English and classes will be taught in English. Students admitted to an English program shall, as a rule, do the obligatory assignments in English. Students admitted to a Norwegian/Scandinavian studies program shall, as a rule, do the obligatory assignments in Norwegian.

Compulsory assignments

• Written work which is equivalent to 2000 words, with the possible inclusion of an oral component

Recommended previous knowledge

Undergraduate language and linguistics courses.

It is expected that students who will be completing the course work and exam in English have a good command of the English language, enabling them to communicate well at an academic level. The level of English proficiency should be at least B2, preferably C1, using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages scale.

Course materials

Curriculum/reading list will be made available at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions