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Language
COL108 SP

This course is designed to give students in their first year an awareness of the importance of language in everyday life and of the range of its uses and abuses as a cultural and class marker, vehicle of knowledge, and instrument of power. It is an objective of this course that students who complete it should be better prepared than they were before for the sensitive and exacting study, not only of literature, but of whatever specialized studies they subsequently undertake. Topics to be consider ed include whether language is a cultural artifact that is learned or is instinctual; the varieties of languages (language and ethos, language and culture, linguistic imperialism, problems of translation); the distinction between speech and writing; stenolanguage, metalanguage, and poetic language; metaphor and symbol; language and theory.

MAJOR READINGS

Authors to be read may include (but will not be limited to): Steven Pinker, George Orwell, J.L. Austin, Roman Jakobson, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Julia Kristeva, Ferdinand de Saussure, Roland Barthes, and others.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Probably three short to medium length essays. Student reports on a range of topics.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

No prerequisites. Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's office.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: HA COL    Grading Mode: Student Option   

Prerequisites: NONE

Last Updated on MAR-24-2000

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