L431: Field Methods (3 cr)
Instructor: Dr. Paul Newman
Section: 3076
MW 1:00-2:15P -- LI 951

Prereq: LING L307 (Phonology); Recommended: LING L310 (Syntax).
Section meets with LING L653.
Section open to undergraduates only.

Supplementary Text (Prepublication manuscript copy will be on reserve):

Newman, Paul, and Martha Ratliff (eds.). Doing Linguistic Fieldwork. Cambridge
University Press. (Forthcoming)

This course is an introduction to the procedures used in the collection and analysis of
primary linguistic data based on work with a native speaker of a language unknown to
the students. The focus is on learning by doing. Students will learn how to conduct
informant sessions, do accurate transcription, organize and analyze data, and write
grammatical sketches. The course will also cover practical and ethical aspects of
fieldwork.
In addition to the regularly scheduled classroom times, students will meet
individually with the native speaker for one hour per week to gather data.
The specific language to be studied has not yet been determined, but it will be an
African language.

Evaluation will be based on class presentations and participation, the informant
sessions, quizzes/exams, the student's data notebook, and a final project.