NCHU Course Outline
Course Name (中) 語言初步(一)(1003)
(Eng.) Beginning Linguistics (I)
Offering Dept Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course Type Elective Credits 2 Teacher HSIN, CHENG-HUNG
Department Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures/Undergraduate Language 中/英文 Semester 2026-SPRING
Course Description Beginning Linguistics is a freshman preparatory course designed to help students build a foundation for future study in Introduction to Linguistics. This course introduces how language works through engaging examples from everyday life, such as how we produce speech sounds, form words, build phrases and sentences, and interpret meaning in real contexts. Students will also explore how language connects to topics like the mind and brain, society, culture, and technology. Through discussion and project-based activities, the course helps students develop curiosity about language and basic analytical skills, while preparing them for more formal linguistic study in later courses.
Prerequisites
self-directed learning in the course Y
Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%) Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives Competency Indicators Ratio(%) Teaching Methods Assessment Methods
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Build foundational understanding of how language works, including speech sounds, words, phrases/sentences, and meaning in everyday communication.

2. Recognize patterns in language by examining examples from daily life and different languages.

3. Develop awareness of language in context, including how it relates to the mind, society, culture, and technology.

4. Engage in basic inquiry and discussion through collaborative, project-based exploration of language topics.

5. Prepare for future study by developing the curiosity, confidence, and conceptual foundation needed for Introduction to Linguistics.
2.Professional expertise
100
topic Discussion/Production
Networking/Distance Education
Discussion
Lecturing
Attendance
Oral Presentation
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content
Week 1 2/25
Orientation & Course Overview (objectives, grading, course format)
Week 2 3/4
Why Study Language?
Week 3 3/11
Speech Sounds (Phonetics & Phonology)
Week 4 3/18
Words, Phrases, and Sentences (Morphology & Syntax)
Week 5 3/25
Meaning in Language and Context (Semantics & Pragmatics)
Week 6 4/1
Languages Across Time and Around the World (Historical Linguistics & Language Typology)
Week 7 4/8
University Anniversary (Observed) – No Classes
Week 8 4/15
Midterm Exam (Mini-conference: Project Presentation I)
Week 9 4/22
Midterm Exam (Mini-conference: Project Presentation II)
Week 10 4/29
Language in Society and in the Law (Sociolinguistics & Forensic Linguistics)
Week 11 5/6
Language and Data: How Computers Study Language (Corpus & Computational Linguistics)
Week 12 5/13
How We Learn Language (Language Development & Second Language Acquisition)
Week 13 5/20
Language, the Mind, and the Brain (Psycholinguistics & Neurolinguistics)
Week 14 5/27
Language and Communication Across Modalities and Conditions (Clinical Linguistics & Sign Language)
Week 15 6/3
Final Exam (Mini-conference: Project Presentation I)
Week 16 6/10
Final Exam (Mini-conference: Project Presentation II)
self-directed
learning		    02.Viewing multimedia materials related to industry and academia.
   03.Preparing presentations or reports related to industry and academia.
1. Villeneuve, D. (Director). (2016). Arrival [Film]. Paramount Pictures.
2. 吳黌銘（2012）。《語言初步（上、下冊）》。天空數位圖書。
Evaluation
Attendance 15%
Class participantion 35%
Midterm 25%
Final exam 25%
Textbook & other References
Yule, G. (2022). The study of language (8th ed.). Cambridge university press.

黃宣範（主編）（2025）。《語言學：結構、認知與文化的探索》（第二版）。國立臺灣大學出版中心。

吳黌銘（2012）。《語言初步（上、下冊）》。天空數位圖書。
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
iLearning3.0
https://lms2020.nchu.edu.tw/
Office Hours
by appointment
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs(Link URL)
04.Quality Education   05.Gender Equality   08.Decent Work and Economic Growth   10.Reduced Inequalities   17.Partnerships for the Goalsinclude experience courses：N
Please respect the intellectual property rights and use the materials legally.Please respect gender equality.
Update Date, year/month/day：2026/04/30 02:29:31 Printed Date, year/month/day：2026 / 5 / 09
The second-hand book website：http://www.myub.com.tw/