Course description

This course builds on the foundational concepts of morphology and syntax to explore how words and sentences are structured across languages. Students will analyze morphological and syntactic patterns through hands-on exercises and cross-linguistic examples, gaining insight into both universal principles and language-specific variation. In addition to English, the course draws on data from a range of world languages to highlight structural diversity.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and analyze the internal structure of words using key morphological concepts.
2. Analyze inflectional and derivational morphology and apply morphological rules.
3. Interpret and create morphological trees to represent hierarchical word structure.
4. Evaluate morphophonological processes and their impact on word formation and pronunciation.
5. Recognize syntactic categories and describe the structure of phrases and clauses.
6. Construct and interpret syntactic trees using phrase structure rules and constituency tests.
7. Analyze grammatical relations such as subject, object, and case across different languages.

Textbooks

• Aronoff, M.  & K. Fudeman.  2022.  What is Morphology? (3ed.) John Wiley & Sons.
• Anderson, C. et al. 2023. Essentials in Linguistics. 2ed. (OER, available online)
• Some articles will be available on Course Link.

Evaluation (tentative)

Policy on the Use of AI and Digital Tools

When using any digital assistance (e.g., grammar checkers, translators, or generative AI tools such as ChatGPT or Deepl) for assignments completed outside or inside of class, students must include a Digital Assistance Statement at the end of the assignment. The statement must identify the tools used and their purpose; and must provide 1–2 examples of how the tools were used and indicate whether the suggestions were accepted or rejected