SPAN 3240 - Introduction to the Study of Spanish Linguistics

The Linguistic Society of America defines linguistics as the science of language, and linguists as scientists who apply the scientific method to questions about the nature and function of language. This course is a general survey of the different fields of Spanish linguistics, both theoretical (e.g., phonetics/phonology, syntax, and semantics) and applied (e.g., pragmatics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and bilingualism). It introduces students to basic concepts of linguistics as a science as well as to the scientific method as it is applied to the field of linguistics. Throughout the course, students are introduced to language analysis by making research questions, constructing hypotheses, applying diagnostics, analyzing data and drawing conclusions. This course satisfies WMU Essential Studies Level 2: Exploration and Discovery – Science and Technology Category.

Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisites: SPAN 3160 and SPAN 3170

Credits: 3 hours