ANTH A190: Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	12/3/2025
Top Code	220200 - Anthropology
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 3)
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	108
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)	Area 3 Arts and Humanities 3A Theory (OC1) Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences 4B Social and Economic Institutions (OD2)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)	Area 3B Humanities (OSC2) Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences (OSD)
Global and Multicultural Requirement (OGM)	Yes
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 4 Social & Behavioral Sciences (4) Cal-GETC 4A Anthropology (4A)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 4 Social&Behavioral Sci (4) IGETC 4A Anthropology (4A)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C2 Humanities (C2) CSU D1 Anthropology (D1)

Course Description

This course uses an anthropological approach to understand language by exploring the following core areas: the biocultural basis of language, structural linguistics, historical linguistics, and sociocultural linguistics. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Demonstrate an understanding of the social and historical factors that contributed to language loss and change.
Explain the role of Linguistic Anthropology within the discipline of Anthropology, and how the knowledge gained from research by linguistic anthropologists contributes to a better understanding of the human species.

Course Objectives

1. Explain the anthropological approach and the methods used to analyze language and communication.
2. Analyze how language and culture are interrelated.
3. Explain language acquisition during the life cycle stages.
4. Identify the structural properties (phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax) of language.
5. Analyze and evaluate the differences in nonverbal communications between different cultures.
6. Describe the biocultural origins and development of language through time.
7. Describe social factors (gender, economic status, education, etc.) that affect language use, people's perceptions of language and its speakers, and social consequences that often arise.
8. Identify factors (e.g. historical and social) that contribute to the various types of language changes that occur across time and space.
9. Compare and contrast human and nonhuman communication systems.
10. Identify the difficulties associated with literal interpretations of words, phrases, and sentences from different languages
11. Discuss the role of the linguist and the relationship of linguists to anthropology, the other social sciences, as well as other academic disciplines.

Lecture Content

Introduction to Linguistics
1. Importance of using an anthropological approach to understanding language
2. Characteristics (definition) of human language
3. Understand the flexibility and constraints of language
4. Language universals
Theories on the Origins of Language
1. Divine Origin Theory
2. Human Invention Theories
Biological Basis of Language
Animal Communication
1. Discuss various modes of animal communication
2. Compare communication of nonhuman primates to that of human
3. Comparison of language acquisition in human children and chimpanzees
Stages of Development of Language in Human Children
1. Prelinguistic stage
2. Babbling to holophrastic stage
3. Two word to telegraphic stage to infinity
Language and Brain
1. Neurolinguistics
2. Learning about language through communication impairments
Morphology, Phonetics and Phonology
1. The structure of words
2. The sounds and sound patterns of language
Syntax and semantics
1. How words are structured
2. Word structure in different languages
3. The meaning of language
Language and Culture (e.g Lingua Francas, Pidgins, Creoles,etc...)
Situational Use of Language (e.g. formal/informal language styles, slang, taboo, etc...)
Nonverbal Communication
1. American mannerisms vs. mannerisms in other cultures
2. Contradictions in meaning resulting from the simultaneous use of verbal and nonverbal communication.
Historical Linguistics
1. Language families of the world
2. Evolution of languages
3. The linguistic history of English
Language Change
1. Lexical and semantic change
2. Linguistic paleontology
Language Conservation and Loss
1. Factors affecting the loss of language
2. Methods of language preservation
Sociocultural linguistics (the relationships among language, identity, and power including language variation)

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

1. Presentations using visual and/or audio aids (power points, overhead projections, videos, audio-recordings, etc ) 2. Collaborative group work 3. Small groups or directed class discussions 4. Instructor will provide written feedback on course assignments. 5. Student-instructor conferences 6. Instructor will periodically provide additional study aids in the form of audio-recordings, animations, websites, images, charts, and videos via the course management system.

Reading Assignments

Students will spend 2-3 hours per week reading assigned textbook chapters or additional articles that emphasize key concepts (definitions of language, structural linguistics, nonverbal communication, etc ).

Writing Assignments

The students will spend 2-3 hours per week writing a paper about a topic of their choice. They will be required to include ethnographic data and peer-reviewed journals to support their ideas. During class periods, students will spend 1hour writing an essay response about a key concept discussed in class.

Out-of-class Assignments

Students will spend 1-2 hours per week comparing and contrasting word structure of various languages. Students will spend 2-3 hours per week searching the academic literature from the library s database about a topic of their choice.

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

108

Methods of Student Evaluation

Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Short Quizzes
Written Assignments
Essay Examinations
Objective Examinations
Projects (Individual/Group)
Problem Solving Exercises
Oral Presentations
Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will participate in small group discussions to explore various topics (origin, social factors, nonverbal communciation, etc...) regarding language. Students will analyze people's perceptions of various languages and its speakers. Students will answer essay questions requiring them to compare and contrast competing ideas (e.g. theories regarding the origins of language).

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Students will work in small groups to discuss strategies to prevent language loss, but also to identify barriers inhibiting success. Students will work in small groups to discuss the literal translation of words and the problems that arise when this occurs. Students will be given linguistic problems to solve during class periods.

Resources Subscreen

Textbook: Ahearn, Laura. Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology. Wiley (2021).
Textbook: Ottenheimber,H.J. & Pine, J.M.S.. The Anthropology of Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology. Cengage (2019).
Textbook: Stanlaw, J., Adachi, N., & Salzmann, Z.. Language, Culture, and Society: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology. Routledge (2017).
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Eligible Discipline(s)

Anthropology: Master’s degree in anthropology or archaeology OR bachelor’s degree in either of the above AND master’s degree in sociology, biological sciences, forensic sciences, genetics or paleontology OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.

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