Fall 2003

LIN 350 • How to Describe a Language

Course Description

This course is a practical introduction to language documentation and preservation. Language diversity will be discussed, including its benefits, the status of the world’s languages, their endangerment, and the possibilities for their maintenance and/or preservation. Practical methods for describing, documenting, and preserving languages will be introduced, with appropriate exercises for learning how to use them. The focus of the exercises will be on the phonological and morphological analysis of restricted data sets. The role of linguists in conjunction with communities of speakers who wish to document or revitalize their languages will also be discussed.

Grading Policy

Short papers: 30% Problems and exercises: 50% Class participation: 20%

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