COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course introduces students to the nature, history, and functions of human language, speech, and writing. It will cover various topics, including human language’s biological origins, comparisons with other species’ communication systems, linguistic history, and the “family tree” of languages. The course will explore what defines languages and how they evolve and change over time, investigating theories of language development and their connection to linguistic transformation.
Students will study a vast array of world languages, gaining an understanding of the genetic and geographical relationships among them. Additionally, students will come to appreciate language as a subject of systematic study and will apply their newfound knowledge to enhance their everyday social interactions within their communities.
Key Topics Covered
- Examine the Biological Origins of Human Language: Explore how language developed biologically and its uniqueness compared to other species’ communication methods.
- Study the Evolution of Languages: Investigate the historical changes and transformations of languages over time.
- Understand the Family Tree of Languages: Analyze world languages’ genetic and geographical relationships, tracing their origins and divergences.
- Explore Theories of Language Development: Examine various explanations for how languages emerge and evolve.
- Compare Human Language to Animal Communication: Investigate similarities and differences between human language and the communication techniques of other creatures.
- Apply Linguistic Knowledge to Social Interactions: Learn to utilize an understanding of language in everyday communication within personal and community contexts.
- Appreciate Language as a Systematic Study: Develop an academic appreciation for language as a complex and structured system worthy of rigorous study.
REFERENCE MATERIALS
for
Full-CLC Students
Based on your HESEAP application, you have been awarded full CLC for this course, classifying it as a test-out course, meaning no traditional instruction will be provided. Your CLC award signifies that you possess knowledge, whether gained through prior education or experience, equivalent to or surpassing what would typically be learned in a traditional college setting. Consequently, classroom attendance is not required; however, you are required to pass a final exam for the course successfully.
USILACS remains committed to fostering your academic success. Should you find a refresher necessary or wish to deepen your understanding of the subject, it is recommended that you explore a variety of free online educational resources on the suggested topics below.
Thousands of FREE Online College Courses
Search Topics: Publications/Videos/Papers
The majority of the exam questions for this course are based upon information contained in the below search topics.
- How Did Language Begin? Narrated by Arika Okrent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvRtlH-3Asc
- Linguistics as a Window to Understanding the Brain. By Steven Pinker.
- Part 1. (Video start point 0:00)
- Part 2. (Video start point 34:53) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-B_ONJIEcE
- How languages Evolve. By Alex Gendler (4 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDKsHm6gTA
- The Origins of English? By Claire Bowern (4:53 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEaSxhcns7Y
- (2017) Origin of Language. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_language
- (2017) Esperanto: Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto
- (2015) The Origins of Human Language: One of the Hardest Problems in Science. Alicia McDermott. Ancient Origins Reconstructing the History of Humanity’s Past http://www.ancient-origins.net/human-origins-science/origins-human-language-one-hardest-problems-science-003610
- (2010) How Many Languages Are There in the World? Stephen R. Anderson. Linguistic Society of America. (PDF) http://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/how-many-languages-are-there-world
Please note that USILACS is not the source of the above links; therefore, we do not have control over their accessibility. Some links may no longer be active, and in such cases, we encourage you to copy and paste the title into Google or YouTube to find an alternative source. Should you encounter an inactive link, please contact our academic team at academics@usilacs.org for assistance or notify them so the link can be updated.
Occasionally, the links may prompt you to download reference material in PDF format. While we have made every effort to ensure the safety of the sources, we encourage you to take precautions to verify the security of any downloads on your device.
Although comprehensive study materials have been provided, you can search for the topics and titles on Google and YouTube if additional resources are needed.
Tips for Success
Remember that the exams are open-book, meaning you can keep reference materials open in other tabs for easy access during the exam. Some reference materials are extensive, with hundreds of pages. To quickly find answers, follow these steps:
- Choose a keyword or phrase from the exam question.
- Open the reference material.
- Press ‘Ctrl’ + ‘F’ on your keyboard to open a search bar.
- Enter your keyword or phrase and click search. This will display all instances of that word or phrase within the document, allowing for more efficient navigation.