This is an undergraduate-level course designed to immerse students in the multiple dimensions of the Chinese language. This course offers a deep exploration of linguistic concepts that underpin the structure and usage of Chinese, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of this rich and complex language.
The course content is organized into modules, each designed to delve deeply into specific linguistic areas, culminating in a well-rounded understanding of the Chinese language:
- Introduction to Chinese Linguistics: A diachronic and synchronic overview of the Chinese varieties and language in China.
- Phonetics and Phonology: In-depth analysis of the sounds of Chinese.
- Morphology and Syntax: Detailed examination of how words are formed and how they combine to create sentences, including verb aspects, modality, and complex sentence structures.
- Chinese Writing Systems: An exploration of Chinese scripts, including the evolution of writing systems, traditional and simplified characters, Romanization, and calligraphy.
- Sociolinguistics of Chinese: Insights into the social aspects of language, including language variation, contact, borrowing, multilingualism, and the influence of language policies.
Native speakers of Chinese are welcome to take this course. You will need to submit a concession request to enrol in this course.