Syntax
About the course
This course is mandatory in the MA programme in Theoretical Linguistics.
The course may be taken as an elective course or a single course by students who fulfill the admission requirements.
This course builds on the introduction to syntax offered in HIF-3001 (or an equivalent introduction to syntax) to cover the essentials of syntactic theory. The course focuses on developing a theory of syntax by proposing, testing and modifying hypotheses. The ultimate goal is a universal theory which can account for both the similarities between and the differences across languages, thus comparison of data from several languages.
A series of syntactic phenomena are explored, including inflection, grammatical functions and case, dependencies and locality. At each step along the way, the theory under development will be tested, expanded and revised to accommodate new data and insights.
Admission requirements
Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), or equivalent qualification, in a language or linguistics, or a degree combining linguistics and literature (minimum 80 ECTS in linguistics/language/literature, of which minimum 60 ECTS must be in linguistics and/or language).
A minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (2,5) in the ECTS scale, see UiT's webpage for international admissions for more information on how the point average is calculated.
Application code: 9371 - Enkeltemner på masternivå (Nordic applicants).
Objectives of the course
Upon completing the course the student has the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
The student is familiar with:
- Principles governing syntactic structure
- The significance of features
- Local and non-local dependencies
- The nature of cross-linguistic variation in syntax
- How these phenomena are used in the development of theories of natural language grammar
Skills
The student is able to:
- Construct formal syntactic representations for natural language expressions
- Analyze data sets from familiar or unfamiliar languages
- Evaluate alternative syntactic analyses
Prerequisites
Anbefalte forkunnskaper
HIF-3001 Foundations in linguistic theory and analysis
Teaching methods
Lectures, exercises, seminars and project work.
Quality assurance
All courses undergo a halfway evaluation once in a 2-year period at the master´s level. The Programme Board determines which programme options will be evaluated per year, and which courses will be evaluated by the students and the teacher per year.
Language of instruction and examination
EnglishSchedule
The schedules are normally finalized and published well in advance of the start of the semester, often a few weeks beforehand. This gives students the opportunity to organize their studies and prepare for upcoming activities.
It is recommended to check the schedule regularly, as changes may occur.
Information to incoming exchange students
This course is open for exchange students who fulfill the admission requirements.
The course should be taken as a part of a course package.
Examination
| Portfolio |
Grade: A–E, fail F |
To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements
| Assignment 1 | Grade: Approved – not approved |
| Assignment 2 | Grade: Approved – not approved |
| Assignment 3 | Grade: Approved – not approved |
| Assignment 4 | Grade: Approved – not approved |
| Assignment 5 | Grade: Approved – not approved |
| Assignment 6 | Grade: Approved – not approved |
Everything you need to know about before, during, and after the exam; registration, absence, appeals, and diplomas: UiT Exams homepage