• Offered by School of Culture History and Language
  • ANU College ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
  • Course subject Linguistics
  • Areas of interest Language Studies, Linguistics
  • Academic career UGRD
  • Course convener
    • Dr Nicholas Evans
  • Mode of delivery Online or In Person
  • Co-taught Course
  • Offered in Winter Session 2022
    See Future Offerings

In this course students work under guidance with a native speaker of a previously undescribed language, learning how to analyse a language from scratch, preparing and archiving descriptive materials, and writing papers on aspects of the grammar (syntax, phonology, lexicon). Instruction is given in the methodologies and technologies of linguistic fieldwork, including collection, analysis and organisation of data, and the social dimensions of work with speakers of minority languages. The elicitation and analysis of primary linguistic data will deepen the understanding and extend the skills that students have acquired in earlier linguistic coursework.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Collect and annotate primary linguistic data on an under-described language from language speakers
  2. Manage large amounts of linguistic data using state-of-the-art methods and technologies of data management and archiving
  3. Analyse grammatical structures of an unknown language on the basis of spoken linguistic data
  4. Articulate and present findings from primary linguistic data to a linguistic audience

Other Information

This is a co-taught course. Any cap on enrolments in one course applies to both courses combined.


This course is an intensive course on linguistic field methods. Students will be exposed to Ghayavi, an under-documented Oceanic language of the Milne Bay region of Papua New Guinea.

 

1 July

Pre readings released to students/zoom session to introduce students to intensive course expectation and structure.

 

11-15 July, 18-22 July

10am-12pm, 2pm-4pm, 1 hour lecture/discussion with 3 hours of group sessions with our native Ghayavi guest speaker. We will conduct recording, transcription, and elicitation together, discuss our current analyses, challenges and plans for overcoming them, and more general topics such as tools, methods, and logistics during these intensive sessions.

 

2 September

Final assessment due.

Indicative Assessment

  1. Data management and archiving (10) [LO 2]
  2. Phonology Report (20) [LO 1,3,4]
  3. Transcription and annotation of a text (15) [LO 1,2,3]
  4. Dictionary entries (15) [LO 1,3,4]
  5. Analytical Grammar Paper (40) [LO 1,2,3,4]

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

The total workload for this course including in class time and independent study is 130 hours. 

Inherent Requirements

Not applicable

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must have successfully completed LING2010, LING2003 and one of: LING3035 or LING3126 or LING3031 or LING3008. If accompanied by a grade of Distinction or better in the relevant subject, completion of either LING2040 - Austronesian Languages or LING2016 - Language and Society in Indigenous Australia can be accepted as an alternative to one of the 3000 units. Alternatively you may gain permission of the Course Convener to enrol in this course.

You will need to contact the School of Culture History and Language to request a permission code to enrol in this course.

Prescribed Texts

None

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees

Student Contribution Band:
1
Unit value:
6 units

If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.

Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.

Units EFTSL
6.00 0.12500
Domestic fee paying students
Year Fee
2022 $3840
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2022 $4980
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

The list of offerings for future years is indicative only.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.

Winter Session

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
4573 01 Jul 2022 08 Jul 2022 15 Jul 2022 02 Sep 2022 In-Person and Online N/A

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