Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics
- Offered byCoursera
- Public/Government Institute
Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics at Coursera Overview
Duration | 23 hours |
Total fee | Free |
Mode of learning | Online |
Difficulty level | Beginner |
Official Website | Explore Free Course  |
Credential | Certificate |
Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics at Coursera Highlights
- Shareable Certificate Earn a Certificate upon completion
- 100% online Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
- Flexible deadlines Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
- Beginner Level
- Approx. 23 hours to complete
- English Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish, Romanian
Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics at Coursera Course details
- Everywhere, every day, everybody uses language. There is no human society, no matter how small or how isolated, which does not employ a language that is rich and diverse. This course introduces you to linguistics, featuring interviews with well-known linguists and with speakers of many different languages. Join us to explore the miracles of human language!
- The Miracles of Human Language introduces you to the many-faceted study of languages, which has amazed humans since the beginning of history. Together with speakers of many other languages around the world, as well as with famous linguists such as Noam Chomsky and Adele Goldberg, you will learn to understand and analyse how your native tongue is at the same time similar and different from many other languages. You will learn the basic concepts of linguistics, get to know some of the key features of big and small languages and get insight into what linguists do.
- This course gives an introduction into the study of languages, the field of linguistics. With the support of the basic linguistic terminology that is offered in the course, you will soon be able to comment both on variety between languages, as well as on a single language?s internal structure. Anyone who wishes to understand how languages work, and how they can give us insight into the human mind is very welcome to join.
- The course is useful if you want to get a fairly quick introduction into linguistics, for instance because you are considering studying it further, or because you are interested in a neighbouring discipline such as psychology, computer science or anthropology. Furthermore, the course will help you develop analytical skills.
- If you are curious to understand how language works and how it gives insight into the human mind, this course is definitely for you!
Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics at Coursera Curriculum
Introduction to Linguistics
Welcome to the Miracles of Human Language!
How to succeed in your online class?
Human Language and Animal Communication Systems
Human Language Versus Other 'Languages'
Discussion with Marten and Inge: Language Diversity
Language Diversity and Ethnologue
Discussion with Marten and Inge: What do Linguists do?
Interview with Dr. Victoria Nyst
Introduction language informants + introducing Han Hu, Speaker of Mandarin Chinese
Introducing Roberta D'Alessandro, speaker of Abruzzese
Introducing Khalid Mourigh, speaker of Tarifit Berber
Introducing Varun DeCastro-Arrazola, speaker of Basque
Introducing Beste Sevindik, speaker of Turkish
Introducing Enoch Aboh, speaker of Gungbe
Conclusion; language and dialect
Meet the instructor & his team
Leiden University: Facts & Figures
Community Guidelines
What is your learning path?
Registration Ethnologue
Required and optional readings
Test your knowledge 1
The study of sound: Phonology and Phonetics
Distinguishing consonants
Production of speech sounds
Discussion with Marten and Inge: consonants of world languages
Sounds in systems
Discussion with Marten and Inge: sounds and language change
Interview with Prof. dr. Claartje Levelt
Introduction + Tarifit Berber
Gungbe
Turkish
Abruzzese
Mandarin Chinese
Basque
Conclusion; sounds and gestures
Required and optional readings
Test your knowledge 2
The study of words and sentences: Morphology and Syntax
Words and sentences
Morphology
Discussion with Marten and Inge: world of words
Syntax and word order (a)
Syntax and word order (b)
Discussion with Marten and Inge: world of word order
Interview with Prof. Noam Chomsky
Introduction + Basque
Tarifit Berber
Gungbe
Turkish
Abruzzese
Mandarin Chinese
Conclusion; structure beyond sentences
Required and optional readings
Test your knowledge 3
The study of meaning: Pragmatics and Semantics
Layers of meaning
Semantics
Discussion with Marten and Inge: color and snow
Pragmatics
Discussion with Marten and Inge: changing the world with sentences
Interview with Barend Beekhuizen MA
Introduction + Abruzzese
Tarifit Berber
Turkish
Basque
Mandarin Chinese
Gungbe
Conclusion; untranslatable words?
Required and optional readings
Quiz readings
Test your knowledge 4
Language in the Brain
Introduction
Aphasia
Discussion with Marten and Inge: everyday mistakes and the Foreign Accent Syndrome
Reading in the brain
Visiting the lab
Interview with Prof. Dr. Niels Schiller
Introduction + Turkish
Tarifit Berber
Abruzzese
Basque
Conclusion; dyslexia
Required and optional readings
Crowdfunding credits
Test your knowledge 5
Language in the Society
Language change and variation
Social stratification
Discussion with Marten and Inge: social variables
Politeness
Discussion with Marten and Inge: examples of Face
Interview with Prof. Adele Goldberg
Introduction + Gungbe
Tarifit Berber
Turkish
Abruzzese
Mandarin Chinese
Basque
Conclusion; how personal are politeness strategies?
Required and optional readings
Test your knowledge 6
Final exam
Other courses offered by Coursera
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?
Useful Links
Know more about Coursera
Know more about Programs
- Teaching & Education
- Middle School
- Physical Education
- Pre Primary & Primary School
- Nursery & Primary Teacher Training (NPTT)
- Secondary & Sr. Secondary School
- Nursery Teacher Training (NTT)
- Special Education
- Pre Primary Teacher Training (PPTT)
- Vocational Education
- Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE)
- Primary Teacher Training (PTT)