Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module focuses on the acquisition and use of two or more languages throughout the lifespan of an individual. It considers how two or more languages are represented in one mind, how languages interact in use, as well as building on and extending students' knowledge of child language acquisition and language change. It also considers issues around the role of languages in shaping identity and society.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics covered in this module will include:

- Bi/multilingual first language acquisition (phonology and syntax)
- Effects of multilingualism on non-linguistic cognitive processes
- Codeswitching (the use of multiple languages in an utterance or discourse)
- Heritage languages and their users

Techniques developed in this module will include:
- Use of CHILDES/CLAN
- Multilingual data analysis and use of descriptive grammars to facilitate this

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of the module, students will have acquired:
1. An advanced understanding of the cognitive mechanisms for representing two or more languages (building on materials in SEL2235)
2. An understanding of the effects of multilingualism on non-linguistic cognitive processes
3. An understanding of the differences between monolingual and multilingual first language acquisition
4. An understanding of the linguistic and social issues experienced by heritage language users
5. An understanding of how languages may (and are not) mixed and/or blended by multilingual language users in single utterances or in discourses

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the module, students will:
1. Be able to evaluate with sensitivity the role of language in shaping identity and society
2. Be able to extract meaningful datasets from corpora of multilingual child language production using CHILDES/CLAN
3. Be able to use descriptive grammars to parse multilingual data
4. Be able to draw on and appropriately analyse multilingual data to address a hypothesis and to critique theoretical and theoretically-informed research

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will provide the principal source of core content (knowledge) delivery and directions for guided independent learning. Seminars provide the principal source of developing core skills in analytical techniques as well as a space for clarifying knowledge content and testing the limits of theories and concepts through group discussion. The computer-based workshops are a second source of developing core skills, specifically in how to navigate key data sources such as multilingual child language corpora (e.g. CHILDES) and codeswitching corpora (e.g. the Bangor group of corpora).

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The practical exercise evaluates Knowledge Outcomes 3 and 5, and Skill Outcomes 2, 3 and 4. It evaluates students' abilities to form a meaningful hypothesis about multilingual language acquisition and use and extract a dataset that could be used to meaningfully address that hypothesis.

The written exercise evaluates Knowledge Outcomes 1-5 and Skill Outcomes 1, 3 and 4.
It evaluates students' ability to (i) apply their skills in data manipulation and analysis to a novel dataset and evaluate the results with respect to existing work in multilingualism, and (ii) evaluate and critique theories concerning aspects of multilingual language use and acquisition, as addressed in the module content.

General Notes

N/A