Course Profile

Course Information:
Title:                 Issues in Syntax                                              Course Code:  ?
Credit Hrs.:       3hrs per week                                                 Course contact Hours: 48 (16 weeks)
Pre-requisites:  None (must be registered for MS English at FURC) 
Course site:      http://qazis.com & Foundation University CMS

Instructor Information:
Name:                  Ubaidullah A Qazi                                     Email:   ubaid.qazi @fui.edu.pk  
Office Location:    Room 10, First Floor, Jinnah Block            Office Phone:      Ext: 217
Office meeting Hours:  Mon, Tue, Thu 1230-1400

Course and Learning Objectives:
This course focuses on syntax – traditionally defined as the study of the grammatical relation between words within the sentence. Although this course approaches the study of syntax from the perspective of generative linguistics, it will include a broad introduction to basic topics along with an explanation of major issues in current syntactic theory. It explores the philosophical and methodological foundations of the generative linguistics framework with particular reference to the place of syntax in the study of the human language faculty. The course investigates a number of key theoretical constructs that attempt to account for both universal and language-specific syntactic phenomena.

Course Aims

1.        This course will enable students to understand the conceptual and empirical foundations of generative syntax and interpret basic syntactic formalisms and descriptions.

2.        The course aims to enable students to develop basic analytical skills in the syntactic analysis of data from English and other languages.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course students should be able to:

1.        understand the conceptual and empirical foundations of generative syntax

2.        apply basic techniques of syntactic analysis

Graduate Attributes

Students will be encouraged to develop the following Graduate Attributes by undertaking the selected activities and engaging with the knowledge content. These attributes will be assessed within the prescribed assessment tasks.

1.        Understanding of the knowledge base of syntax as one of the major components of theoretical and descriptive linguistics;

2.        Skills in critical analysis;

3.        The ability to engage in independent and reflective learning.

Grading Model:

·         Mid-Term – 30 Marks

·         Final Term – 50 Marks

·         Sessional – 20 Marks

o    Quiz x 1 (5 Marks)

o    Assignment x 1 (10 Marks)

o    Presentation x 1 (5 Marks)

Weekly Distribution of course contents:

Course Resources

Required textbook:

Carnie, A. 2006. Syntax: A Generative Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell.  

Kim, P. English Syntax: An Introduction

(Both books are available in PDF format on course site and from your tutor.)

Additional Readings

Chomsky, N. 1986. Knowledge of Language: Its Nature, Origin & Use. Praeger.

Chomsky, N. 1995. The Minimalist Program. MIT Press.

Cook, V. & Newson, M. 1996. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar: an Introduction. 2nd ed. Oxford.

Kim, P. English Syntax: An Introduction

Ouhalla, J. 1994. Introducing Transformational Grammar. Cambridge University Press.

Radford, A. 1988. Transformational Grammar: A First Course. Cambridge University Press.

Pinker, S. 1994. The Language Instinct. Penguin.

Sells, P. 1985. Lectures on Contemporary Syntactic Theories. Stanford: CSLI

Online Resources:

Online Tree Generator: phpSyntaxTree  

Dislcalimer: Course content is subject to change without any prior notice.  Please check with your tutor for an updated version.