Last modified: 20 Jun 2025 15:13
In this course, students critically examine a broad range of commonly held beliefs about language and the relation of language to the brain and cognition, learning, society, change and evolution. Students read a series of short scholarly articles in order to understand language myths, the purpose for their existence, and their validity (or not). We use science and common sense as tools in our process of “myth-busting”, both on a set range of language myths in class and on individually chosen myths in independent projects.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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Students will learn to critically engage with commonly held beliefs about human language and what current linguistic research has to say about them. This entails that students will be equipped to read and assess the quality of a range of different sources on language, including primary literature. The course will familiarise students with several tools for investigating linguistic data and hypothesis testing in general.
Whether it’s about which languages are easier to learn, how our linguistic experiences shape our cognition, or whether learning more than one language from birth will have any (dis)advantages – this course will make students experts in dismantling over-simplified or false beliefs about the standout ability of our human race: to communicate with the intention to be understood and believed and share our knowledge.
In their individual projects, MSc Teaching Chinese in a Global Context students will focus on deconstructing common myths or misunderstandings prevalent in Chinese language contexts.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | 43 | ||
| Feedback |
Tutorial participation assessment will include presenting a 5 minute proposal (worth 50% of the attendance mark) for a language myth examined in the final essay. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Read and evaluate media and media content from an ethical perspective. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of the principles of academic and scientific inquiry. |
| Procedural | Understand | Identify various approaches to language study, ranging from the traditional to the qualitative and quantitative approaches characteristic of the humanities and social sciences. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 29 | Feedback Weeks | 31 | |
| Feedback |
Students will be given an online test, available for a week, which they have an hour to complete at a time of their choice. Feedback will be provided automatically upon submission of test. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Critically reflect on and assess common beliefs about language (with focus on misunderstandings surrounding Chinese language and its use). |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of the principles of academic and scientific inquiry. |
| Factual | Understand | Identify common language myths and evaluate the role they play in society and across time. |
| Procedural | Understand | Identify various approaches to language study, ranging from the traditional to the qualitative and quantitative approaches characteristic of the humanities and social sciences. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 32 | Feedback Weeks | 33 | |
| Feedback |
Students will be given an online test, available for a week, which they have an hour to complete at a time of their choice. Feedback will be provided automatically upon submission of test. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Critically reflect on and assess common beliefs about language (with focus on misunderstandings surrounding Chinese language and its use). |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of the principles of academic and scientific inquiry. |
| Factual | Understand | Identify common language myths and evaluate the role they play in society and across time. |
| Procedural | Understand | Identify various approaches to language study, ranging from the traditional to the qualitative and quantitative approaches characteristic of the humanities and social sciences. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 42 | Feedback Weeks | 45 | |
| Feedback |
1,750-word essay. Feedback will be in the form of grader comments, provided through the essay submission platform Turnitin. |
Word Count | 1750 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Assess the connections between language and social phenomena. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Read and evaluate media and media content from an ethical perspective. |
| Procedural | Understand | Identify various approaches to language study, ranging from the traditional to the qualitative and quantitative approaches characteristic of the humanities and social sciences. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 50 | Feedback Weeks | 53 | |
| Feedback |
3,000-word essay. Feedback will be in the form of grader comments, provided through the essay submission platform Turnitin. |
Word Count | 3000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | Identify common language myths and evaluate the role they play in society and across time. |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Critically reflect on and assess common beliefs about language (with focus on misunderstandings surrounding Chinese language and its use). |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of the principles of academic and scientific inquiry. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Assess the connections between language and social phenomena. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Read and evaluate media and media content from an ethical perspective. |
| Procedural | Understand | Identify various approaches to language study, ranging from the traditional to the qualitative and quantitative approaches characteristic of the humanities and social sciences. |
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