2024-2025 / LGER0104-2

English synchronic linguistics b: Construction grammar and its application to English

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

 Master in modern languages and literatures : Germanics, research focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general, reasearch focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures: Germanics, teaching focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general, teaching focus5 crédits 
 Master en langues et lettres modernes, orientation générale, à finalité spécialisée en langues, cultures et sociétés de l'Asie orientale (Chine/Japon)5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in intercultural and international organization communication5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in digital media education (Digital media education)5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in economic and social communication5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in language and culture5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general, professional focus in translation5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : Germanics, professional focus in translation5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : German, Dutch and English (60 ECTS)5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general (60 ECTS)5 crédits 

Lecturer

Lieselotte Brems

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This class introduces students to Construction Grammar and its application to English specifically. After a general introduction to how and why the framework emerged, we will see how it has extended beyond its original domain and methods. 
Using examples from English, we will build up an argumentation for why we could think of our knowledge of a language in terms of a network of constructions on different levels of schematicity and complexity. We will see how it applies to verb argument structure, but also morphology, information structure, language acquisition, variation and change.
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Students should see how a constructional approach to language differs from other frameworks while it also shares some basic tenets with other frameworks. They should see the advantages as well as drawbacks of this approach, which, moreover, is itself a collection of approaches rather than one homogeneous theory.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Good knowledge of English and linguistics

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

This class will be organised as a seminar in which students sometimes have to prepare texts in advance.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

face-to-face

Course materials and recommended or required readings

///

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )


Additional information:

written exam

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

'ex cathedra' sessions + seminars with interaction

Contacts

lbrems@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs