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Displaying results with search value "Dollinger" — 4 of 4 results

Topics in the Study of Language and/or Rhetoric

ENGL 229

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stickles-elise dollinger-stefan
2023 Winter Term 1/2Credits: 3

Consult Department's website for current year's offerings. For ENGL courses at the 200- or 300- level, prior completion of at least one 100- level ENGL course is recommended.

Sections (2)
SectionTermDelivery ModeFormatDay(s)Time(s)Instructor(s)SyllabusDetails DataDetails
001 1 Lecture T, Th 15:30 - 17:00 Stickles, Elise

Section Description

Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics

Is a taco a sandwich? What about a hot dog? These questions may lead to a fun debate over dinner, but they also reveal the remarkable nature of the structure of mental categories (such as “sandwich”) and how we decide what does – or doesn’t – belong. In this course, we won’t be able to answer these questions, but we will be able to learn why they are so tricky to answer. To do so, we will explore the field of cognitive linguistics, which is the study of how language and cognition work together to create meaning. Fundamentally, our language is a reflection of how we understand the world around us, as humans living in physical bodies, experiencing the properties of our environment, and engaging in constant social interaction. Therefore, to understand how language works, we must also understand how other cognitive processes work, such as categorization, perception, and mental representations of concepts.

We will begin with learning about how we categorize, organize, reason about, and ultimately linguistically label concepts. This structure provides the basis of understanding how figurative language works, with a focus on metaphor and metonymy. We will then see how these same cognitive tools allow words to acquire multiple meanings (polysemy), and how concepts, words, and grammar all work together to create meaning. Finally, we will consider how our newly acquired understanding of language can be applied to other areas of life, such as politics, advertising, and healthcare. Throughout we will study language in all its forms, including written, spoken, and signed language; gesture; and image.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Identify and understand basic concepts in cognitive linguistics
  • Understand the roles of physical, psychological, and sociocultural context in linguistic meaning
  • Analyze the linguistic and conceptual structure of a variety of texts
  • Apply concepts from cognitive linguistics to other topics and disciplines

The main texts are Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction (2006), by Vyvyan Evans and Melanie Green and An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics (2006), by Friedrich Ungerer and Hans-Jorg Schmid.

There is no need to purchase anything; all assigned readings will be available online via the UBC Library website.

002 2 Lecture T, Th 12:30 - 14:00 Dollinger, Stefan

Section Description

Canadian English: history, present & future

In this course we’ll reflect about Canadian English, defined as any variety of English spoken and used in Canada. We will distinguish between Standard Canadian English, review the state of our knowledge about it, and other forms of English used in Canada, with a focus on Indigenous Englishes. We will approach Canadian English from sociolinguistic and sociohistorical perspectives: How did it come about? Who decided when that it was its own variety? Why is it the way it is? Is it a colonial form of English? Why do some not know much about it (perhaps you)? Bring a curious and open mind.

Note, this course will be conducted EXCLUSIVELY online

Varieties of English

ENGL 323

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dollinger-stefan
2023 Winter Term 2Credits: 3

Study of geographical, social, and/or urban dialects of English. For ENGL courses at the 200- or 300- level, prior completion of at least one 100- level ENGL course is recommended.

Sections (1)
SectionTermDelivery ModeFormatDay(s)Time(s)Instructor(s)SyllabusDetails DataDetails
001 2 Lecture T, Th 14:00 - 15:30 Dollinger, Stefan

Section Description

How many Englishes are there? What’s English anyway? What is Canadian English? What is Pidgin English? Is it “different from” or “different than”, “toque”, “hat” or “beanie”? In this class we take a close, conceptual look at linguistic variation in English, to be precise: in Englishes. Beginning with a classic model, we’ll read and discuss texts that model variation in L1, L2 and Lingua Franca Englishes, World Englishes and Global Englishes. We will write short reflection pieces on some texts that will prepare us for a mini in-class conference with friendly feedback and an ensuing term paper on a variety of English of your choice (from a curated list).

 

The Structure of Modern English: Sentences and Their Uses

ENGL 331

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dollinger-stefan
2023 Winter Term 1Credits: 3

An introduction to syntax, pragmatics, and sentence semantics. For ENGL courses at the 200- or 300- level, prior completion of at least one 100- level ENGL course is recommended.

Sections (1)
SectionTermDelivery ModeFormatDay(s)Time(s)Instructor(s)SyllabusDetails DataDetails
001 1 Lecture T, Th 11:00 - 12:30 Dollinger, Stefan

Section Description

Welcome to this key course for any English major, minor and/or language enthusiast! Do *not* opt out of this course even if you can, just give it a try! Often considered the “tough” stuff of English that everyone wishes they knew, but few actually do, let’s together unlock the beauty of syntactic analysis. Let’s ask questions, let’s try out what the best (or “least bad”) classification for a given structure is. Use this knowledge of English syntax to teach, to sharpen up your own writing, or just to show off your grammatical prowess when you need to do so. Use the knowledge for any of your other languages (and learn to adapt it to these). No prior grammatical knowledge is required. Everyone welcome.

Note, this course will be conducted EXCLUSIVELY online.

Language Majors Seminar

ENGL 489

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dollinger-stefan hill-ian
2023 Winter Term 1/2Credits: 3

Required of all Language Majors. See department website (www.english.ubc.ca) for seminar topics.

Sections (2)
SectionTermDelivery ModeFormatDay(s)Time(s)Instructor(s)SyllabusDetails DataDetails
001 1 Seminar T 14:00 - 16:00 Dollinger, Stefan

Section Description

Attitudes towards Canadian English

In the 1960s, the idea of a Standard Canadian English was conceptualized and illustrated to Canadians and the world in a series of four dictionaries. While in the 1970s many speakers were still somewhat sceptical about Canadian English as a “thing”, by the early 2000s the situation was very different. In this course we’ll learn about Canadian English and then aim to contribute to the existing knowledge pool as a capstone project. We will gather and analyze new data on what people think about “Canadian English”. You will learn how to write a linguistic survey, how to gather data and, most important of all, how to analyze the data using Excel. You will learn to write a paper on one variable from the survey, present work-in-progress in a class presentation and use feedback to improve your paper. Linguistic attitudes have long been neglected. In this course we’ll shine a light on them and show the real-life consequences of how people feel about their language(s).

 

002 2 Seminar T 10:00 - 12:00 Hill, Ian

Section Description

Non-Western Rhetorical Traditions

How did Buddha compel his smartest acolytes to seek enlightenment without simultaneously confusing the masses? How might one logically prove the veracity of reincarnation within the Vedic system? How did future Somali dictator Mohamed Siad Barre motivate anti-colonial revolution? Can a single word communicate the entirety of human wisdom? This seminar will focus on Buddhist, Taoist, and Vedic theories of persuasion, as well as taking a look at 20th century international theories of propaganda.