LgV31 Constructed languages and the phenomenon of language construction

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Jan Havliš, Dr. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Václav Blažek, CSc.
Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Aneta Fidrichová
Supplier department: Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Fri 14:00–15:40 D32
Prerequisites
successful involvement of a student assumes a basic knowledge of linguistics - phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and sociolinguistics.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
main objective of the course is to acquaint students with the phenomena of constructed language and language construction.
Learning outcomes
at the end of the course students should be able:
to understand and explain terms constructed language and language construction in a linguistic context
to use these concepts for a deeper understanding of the language
to classify constructed languages by type and evaluate them in terms of purpose and internal logic
to describe principles of language construction at all type levels too
to give examples of the use of constructed languages in the art, as well as in society and linguistics itself.
Syllabus
  • 1. language; natural language and constructed language
  • 2. definition of language construction term; typology of constructed languages and its context
  • 3. tools and techniques of language construction
  • 4. analysis of an a priori and a posteriori constructed language
  • 5. practical construction of an a priori and a posteriori constructed language
  • 6. historical overview and context of constructed languages
  • 7. application of constructed languages in the arts; literature, film
  • 8. application of constructed languages in society; interlinguistics, self-learning, games
  • 9. application of constructed languages in science and philosophy: experimental linguistics
  • 10. constructed languages in psychiatry: neology and neoglossy
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Wahlgren Y., Stopařův průvodce po galaxii jazyků, Paseka 2019
  • Mark Rosenfelder, The language construction kit, Yonagu Books 2010
  • Mark Rosenfelder, Advanced language construction kit, Yonagu Books 2012
  • Mark Rosenfelder, The planet construction kit, Yonagu Books 2010
  • POKORNÝ, Jan and Juraj HANULIAK. Lingvistická antropologie : jazyk, mysl a kultura. 1. vyd. Praha: Grada, 2010, 346 s. ISBN 9788024728438. URL info
  • PINKER, Steven. Jazykový instinkt : jak mysl vytváří jazyk. Translated by Markéta Hofmeisterová. Vydání první. Praha: Dybbuk, 2009, 550 stran. ISBN 9788074380068. info
  • PINKER, Steven. Slova a pravidla : složky jazyka. Translated by Jozef Genzor. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2008, 455 s. ISBN 9788020016416. info
  • Libert A., A Priori Artificial Languages, Lincom 2000
  • Libert A., Mixed Artificial Languages, Lincom 2003
  • Moskovsky Ch., Libert A., Essays on Natural and Artificial Languages, Peter Lang 2009
  • Libert A., Moskovsky Ch., Aspects of the Grammar and Lexica of Artificial Languages, Peter Lang 2011
Teaching methods
lectures of the course will be supported by a powerpoint presentation, which will be available as a PDF file; among the teaching methods, there will also be an analysis of constructed language and demonstration of language construction; active participation of students will be quite important.
Assessment methods
a student will be evaluated based on an essay, which will include i) an analysis of a selected constructed language and ii) a well-reasoned outline of a constructed language.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2022/LgV31