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ENG812Arts2 Unitsintermediate

CONTRASTIVE LINGUISTICS

This course introduces contrastive linguistics, exploring its principles, methods, and historical background. It emphasizes the synchronic study of languages to discover differences and similarities, particularly in phonology, lexicon, grammar, and pragmatics. The course examines the relevance of contrastive linguistics to language teaching, translation, and intercultural communication. It also covers micro- and macro-contrastive linguistics and their applications in various fields.

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156h

Study Time

13

Weeks

12h

Per Week

none

Math Level

Course Keywords

Contrastive LinguisticsLanguage ComparisonApplied LinguisticsTranslationSecond Language Acquisition

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level

Builds on foundational knowledge

65%

intermediate

📚

Math Level

No Math

📖

Learning Type

Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Definition of Contrastive Linguistics

2

Historical Background of Contrastive Linguistics

3

Importance and Uses of Contrastive Linguistics

4

Micro- vs. Macro-Contrastive Linguistics

5

Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

6

Language Contact and Multilingualism

7

Theoretical Background of Contrastive Linguistics

8

Levels of Analysis (Phonological, Grammatical, Lexical)

9

Models of Contrastive Studies

Total Topics9 topics

Requirements

Knowledge and skills recommended for success

Basic Linguistics

English Grammar

💡 Don't have all requirements? Don't worry! Many students successfully complete this course with basic preparation and dedication.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assessments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Translator

Apply your skills in this growing field

Language Teacher

Apply your skills in this growing field

Linguist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Cross-cultural Communication Specialist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Lexicographer

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

EducationTranslation ServicesPublishingInternational BusinessLanguage Technology

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week

1

Module 1: Definition and Historical Background

6h

Unit 1: Definition

3 study hours

•Read the definition of contrastive linguistics and its relation to comparative linguistics.
•Understand the concepts of socio-cultural links between languages.
•Identify the 'objective of applicability' in contrastive studies.

Unit 1: Brief Historical Background

3 study hours

•Explore the historical background of contrastive linguistics and its emergence in the mid-1950s.
•Understand the influence of structuralism and the renewed interest in foreign language teaching.
•Grasp Lado's hypothesis on predicting difficulties in foreign language learning.

Week

2

Module 1: Definition and Historical Background

7h

Unit 1: Importance and uses of Contrastive Linguistics

4 study hours

•Examine the importance and uses of contrastive linguistics in language teaching and translation.
•Understand the role of contrastive analysis in preventing errors in language learning.
•Explore the relevance of contrastive linguistics to translation, focusing on broader discourse issues.

Unit 1: Differences between Micro-contrastive linguistics and Macro-contrastive linguistics

3 study hours

•Differentiate between micro-contrastive and macro-contrastive linguistics.
•Understand the focus of each approach and their respective applications.
•Analyze how each approach views linguistic phenomena and their development over time.

Week

3

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Contrastive studies in Theory and in Practice

4 study hours

•Understand the terminological issues related to contrastive studies.
•Differentiate between contrastive studies, contrastive analysis, and contrastive linguistics.
•Explore the scope of each term and their applications in linguistic research.

Week

4

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Language Contact and Multilingualism

4 study hours

•Examine the relationship between language contact and multilingualism.
•Understand how languages influence each other through sustained contact.
•Explore the concept of language areas and the formation of linguistic features.

Week

5

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Contrastive studies in everyday life

4 study hours

•Analyze contrastive studies in everyday life and their relevance to human communication.
•Understand how comparisons and categorizations shape our perceptions.
•Explore the role of contrast in language learning and the acquisition of new languages.

Week

6

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Contrastive studies in science

4 study hours

•Explore the origins of contrastive linguistics as a regular linguistic procedure.
•Understand the shift from structural views to dynamic and practical views of language processing.
•Examine the integration of structural and processual contrastive linguistics.

Week

7

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Contrastive Linguistics: Theoretical Background

4 study hours

•Understand the theoretical background of contrastive linguistics and its dependence on theoretical and descriptive linguistics.
•Explore the role of linguistic theory in comparative descriptions of languages.
•Examine the application of contrastive linguistics in various fields, including computational linguistics and machine translation.

Week

8

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Trends in Contrastive Studies

4 study hours

•Examine contrastive studies in the perspective of linguistic levels and discourse.
•Understand the focus of contrastive phonetic studies and contrastive phonological issues.
•Explore contrastive discourse analysis and contrastive pragmatics, including discourse particles and rhetorical relations.

Week

9

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Models of contrastive studies

4 study hours

•Explore the models of contrastive studies, including the typology of contrastive studies.
•Understand the taxonomy of contrastive studies based on tertia comparationis.
•Examine text-bound and systematic contrastive studies.

Week

10

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Methods and procedure in contrastive studies

4 study hours

•Understand the methods and procedures in contrastive studies.
•Explore the techniques of establishing the basis of the study and contrastive interpretation.
•Examine contrastive studies based on form, function, and across functional domains.

Week

11

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 1: Procedure for Analysis in Contrastive Linguistics

4 study hours

•Examine the procedure for analysis in contrastive linguistics.
•Understand the methodological framework for a contrastive study.
•Explore the three steps in 'classical' contrastive studies: description, juxtaposition, and comparison.

Week

12

Module 2: Principles and Methods of Contrastive Analysis

4h

Unit 2: Some Fundamental questions on the Basic Assumptions and Hypotheses Underlying Contrastive Analysis

4 study hours

•Understand the assumptions of contrastive analysis and the psychological hypothesis underlying contrastive analysis studies.
•Explore the strong and weak versions of contrastive analysis.
•Examine the shortcomings of contrastive analysis and its predictive power.

Week

13

Module 3: Definition, Origin and Levels of Contrastive Analysis

8h

Unit 1: Definition and origin

4 study hours

•Understand the definition and origin of contrastive analysis.
•Explore the levels of analysis in contrastive linguistics, including phonological, grammatical, and lexical contrastive analysis.
•Examine the classification of contrastive studies, including theoretical vs. applied contrastive studies.

Unit 3: Levels of Analysis

4 study hours

•Continue exploring the levels of analysis in contrastive linguistics, including phonological, grammatical, and lexical contrastive analysis.
•Examine the classification of contrastive studies, including theoretical vs. applied contrastive studies.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Review the definitions of key terms in Unit 1 of Module 1, such as 'Tertium Comparitionis'.

2

Create a comparative chart of micro- vs. macro-contrastive linguistics from Unit 4 of Module 1.

3

Practice applying the steps of contrastive analysis from Unit 6 of Module 2 to sample sentences in English and another language.

4

Focus on understanding the different levels of analysis (phonological, grammatical, lexical) covered in Unit 3 of Module 3.

5

Study the models of contrastive studies discussed in Unit 5 of Module 2, focusing on their practical applications.

6

Review self-assessment exercises at the end of each module and unit.

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