Course syllabus
University of Auckland
Centre for Pacific Studies
PAC 302 PACIFIC LANGUAGE STRUCTURES
Semester I, 2017
Lecturers: Dr Melenaite Taumoefolau, Rm 1O2H, Pacific Studies
Telephone 373 7599 extn 85167
Email: m.taumoefolau@auckland.ac.nz
Office Hours – Friday 12, Room 108, Pacific Studies
University of Auckland
Centre for Pacific Studies
PAC 302 Pacific Language Structures
Course Outline
An introduction to the comparative analysis of the sound systems and grammatical structures of Samoan and Tongan. The course will focus on basic concepts in sound and spelling systems, morphology and syntax of the two Pacific languages. Special focus will be on kinds of stress, possessive categories, and transitivity. The course will help students understand how the languages “work” and may help students learn the languages.
Students who have passed a stage II course in a language subject or in Linguistics are particularly suited to do this course. It is not necessary for students doing this course to be fluent in the Pacific languages studied.
Main Texts
Pacific Languages: An Introduction, by John Lynch
Samoan Reference Grammar, by Ulrike Mosel and Evan Hovdhaugen
Tongan Grammar by C.M. Churchward
PhD thesis of M. Taumoefolau, University of Auckland, 1998
Lecture Schedule
Week 1 |
2 lectures |
What is a language? Two views. Analogy of Car – Engine + Function |
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Week 2 |
2 lectures |
Historical comparative linguistics – Origins of Pacific languages |
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Tutorial 1
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Writing Exercise |
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Week 3 |
2 lectures |
Segmental Phonology - Phonemes |
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Tutorial 2
|
Writing Exercise |
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Week 4 |
2 lectures |
Supra-segmental Phonology - Stress |
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Tutorial 3 |
Writing exercise |
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Week 5 |
2 lectures |
Orthography |
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Tutorial 4 |
Writing Exercise |
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Week 6 |
2 lectures |
Morphology – prefixes, suffixes, reduplications, and compounds |
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Tutorial 5
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Writing exercise |
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MID SEMESTER BREAK |
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Week 7 |
1 lecture |
Syntax – Lexical and grammatical particles - Nominal and Verbal Sts |
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1 lecture |
Word Classes |
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Tutorial 6
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Writing exercise |
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Week 8 |
2 lectures |
Kinds of verbal sentences – transitive and intransitive |
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Tutorial 7
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Writing exercise |
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Week 9 |
1 lecture |
Continue transitive and intransitive sentences |
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1 lecture |
Suffixed and unsuffixed verbs, roles of -Cia suffix and fa‘a- prefix |
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Tutorial 8
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Writing exercise |
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Week 10 |
2 lectures |
Tense, aspect and voice |
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Tutorial 9
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Writing exercise |
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Week 11 |
2 lectures |
Possessive Classification |
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Tutorial 10
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Writing exercise |
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Week 12 |
2 lectures |
Summing up and exam revision |
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Tutorial 11
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Writing Exercise |
PAC 302 Course Work and Examination
Coursework 50%
- Tutorial Assessments – 20%. This will consist of eight writing exercises or tests done during tutorials. Each writing exercise will be worth 10 marks. Raw marks for your six best tutorial tasks will be added up and converted to 20% of the course.
- Essays x 2 – 30% (15 marks each)
Examination 50%
Three hour exam, essay type questions (no multichoice questions)
Essays
Assignment 1 Due on 13 April by 4pm
Write not more than 1500 words. Write the number of words at the end of your essay.
Write an essay explaining how historical linguists reconstruct related languages. Use Pacific languages to illustrate your answer.
Assignment 2 Due on 25 May by 4pm
Write not more than 1500 words. Write the number of words at the end of your essay.
Write an essay describing transitive and intransitive sentences in either Samoan or Tongan. Make sure you illustrate your answer.
Course summary:
Date | Details | Due |
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