Studying at York
Language Processing - LAN00099M
- Department: Language and Linguistic Science
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
- See module specification for other years: 2023-24
Module summary
This module provides an introduction to the study of language as a product of the mind. The module introduces fundamental concepts in cognitive science through the lens of experimental work on language comprehension and production at different levels of representation, from sound to meaning. This hands-on approach to experimental work in psycholinguistics will serve to introduce different theories of language processing and provide foundational concepts allowing students to scaffold what they learned in theoretical modules into a broader conceptual structure.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
Module aims
Language provides a unique window into the human mind. By referring to a variety of experimental methods and results we aim to model the mental processes that allow us to convert a continuous stream of sound waves into meaning, breaking it down into smaller parts (phonemes, words) which are then grouped together in more complex representations (phrases, sentences) and meanings.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should:
- Have a good understanding of key issues in psycholinguistics
- Be familiar with methods in psycholinguistic research
- Be familiar with major results in the areas of psycholinguistics covered
- Be able to critically evaluate some of the issues involved in psycholinguistics
All modules provide an opportunity to work on general oral/written communication skills (in class and in assessments) and general self management (organising your studies), alongside the specific skills in language or linguistics that the module teaches.
In addition, this module will allow you to particularly develop skills in the application of data management skills. This module allows you to develop skills in understanding and interpreting specific sets of data, in a theoretical context.
Module content
The module will provide a broad introduction to the study of language as a cognitive science. It will focus on different levels of representation and processing (speech, words, sentences, discourse) and summarise relevant evidence from the experimental literature (including illusions, production errors, slips of the tongue/ear, comprehension errors, Reaction Times and eye movements)
The module will cover a selection of the following areas:
- Speech and phonological processing
- Lexical Access
- Morphological Processing
- Syntactic Processing
- Semantic Processing
- Discourse Processing
- Prosodic Processing
- Experimental methods in psycholinguistics
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 40 |
| Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 60 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
• Weekly formative exercises (group level feedback)
• Research participation (may be completed at any time during the semester)
• Summative exercises issues on Thursday of Week 7 to submit on Thursday of Week 8
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 40 |
| Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 60 |
Module feedback
• Weekly group level feedback on formative exercises will be provided at the seminar
• Feedback for summative assignment will be provided in Week 11
• Feedback for final exam will be provided 25 working days after the exam
Indicative reading
A reading pack will be provided and supplemented by handouts that summarise lecture topics not covered in the reading pack.