Linguistic Studies I

Code: LLT10749L

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Linguistics

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Presentation

Linguistic Studies I is a discipline that aims to provide students with a comprehensive view of the phenomenon of language, as a characteristic of the human species.

Sustainable Development Goals

4. Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

Linguistic Studies I has as as its main objective to reveal verbal human language, among other communication systems, in their nature, properties and functions.
By the end of the semester, students should be able to recognize the universal properties underlying all natural languages and the general mechanisms of oral and written language functioning.

1. Linguistics: science of language.
2. Language: origin, characteristics and exclusivity.
3. Languages: structure and functioning.
4. Psychophysiological and cognitive aspects of verbal language.
4.1. Acquisition of language: theories and phases.
4.2. Language and brain: lateralization of human language.
5. Orality and writting.
5.1. Orality: main characteristics.
5.1.1. The sounds of speech.
5.1.1.1.The speech apparatus: the production of speech sounds.
5.1.1.2. Description and classification of speech sounds.
5.1.1.3. Transcription of speech sounds: the phonetic alphabet.
5.1.1.4. Transmission and reception of speech sounds.
5.2. Writing: key features.
5.2.1. Writing systems: from pictography to alphabet.
6. Unity and diversity in natural languages.
6.1. Linguistic variation.
6.1.1. Standard and variation.
6.1.2. Dialectal, social and individual variation.
6.2. Linguistic change.
6.2.1. Standard and change.
6.2.2. Phonetico-phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic change.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical exposition using power-point presentations and / or other instruments considered appropriate to the dynamization of the classes and discussion with the active participation of students in the different topics of the program. Students may be required to present small oral presentations, either individually or in groups. The advanced study of subjects is done by means of reading assignments and consultation of specific web sites. Tutorials will provide methodological and bibliographical references to help with individual essays and the execution of tasks. Promoting the students autonomy, tutorials also provide the students with personalized guidance taking into consideration their specific needs/ competences.
In classroom activities, under the teacher's supervision, students can use AI to obtain data, corpora, bibliography, and explore other elements related to the subjects being studied. When working on independent research projects, students will be required to identify each aspect, part, or piece of data where they used AI (despachos No. 34/2026 and No. 216/2026).

Assessment

According to the system used at the University of Évora (Academic Regulations) and in the Department of Linguistics and Literature (Assessment Regulations), which oversees the course: Continuous assessment will include two written tests (frequencies), each accounting for 50%, and the grades cannot be lower than 8 points.

The exam system (regular, resit, special, and extraordinary sessions) consists of taking one written test, which will carry a weight of 100%. Students who score between 8.0 and 9.4 on the written test will take an oral exam.

The teaching team may also call a student for an oral exam (Orders No. 34/2026 and No. 216/2026) when it is considered necessary to check to what extent the student has developed the knowledge and skills expected for the course unit. In such cases, the oral exam will have, in the final grade of the course unit, a weighting equivalent to that of the written test whose content it covers.