PP3LANG: Philosophy of Language: Animals, Babies, Colours, and Language Death

Module code: PP3LANG

Module provider: Philosophy; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Nat Hansen, email: n.d.hansen@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Philosophy of language concerns the nature of meaning, language, and communication. It seeks answers to the following questions: Are human beings the only animals who communicate with language? What kinds of mental capacities do babies need to acquire language? How do languages develop and change over time? What is the significance of the fact that languages have different color terms?  What happens when a language dies? Is preventing language death valuable? Can languages go into decline? In particular, is English getting worse over time? How does the development of writing affect the way we use language? What makes some uses of language “correct” and other uses “incorrect”? What is the significance of the fact that some languages don’t have a word for the color “blue”?  Why do we so easily draw conclusions about people who have certain kinds of accents? Why is it so hard to program computers to have natural-sounding human conversations? 

Addressing these questions will require an examination of foundational texts in philosophy, linguistics, psychology and anthropology from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as cutting-edge research informed by developments in the cognitive sciences.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Analyse foundational texts in philosophy, linguistics, psychology and linguistic anthropology related to the philosophy of language.  
2. Compare and contrast different theories of language and communication.  
3. Assess the impact of writing on language use.  
4. Understand the concept of “correct” and “incorrect” language use.  
5. Explain the significance of language variation on thought.  
6. Evaluate the ethical and cognitive consequences of language death.  

Module content

1. The code model and the ostensive-inferential model of communication 
2. Different types of animal communication 
3. Psychological foundations of communication 
4. Animal and infant mind-reading abilities 
5. Linguistic conventions 
6. Variation in linguistic conventions, sociolinguistic variants 
7. Standard languages, linguistic correctness 
8. Language and thought: Sapir-Whorf 
9. Language Death 
10. Computers and Conversation 
11. Writing and Speech 

In addition to the module’s Learning Outcomes listed above, when they have completed the module students will also be able to: 

• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of A.I. in relation to human communication. 
• Understand animal communication in comparison with human communication. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught by a combination of lectures and seminars. Students are expected to attend 10 hours of lectures and 20 hours of seminars during the term in which the module’s lecture and seminar classes take place. All students are required to write two essays from a list of questions supplied by the module convenor. In addition, students will be required to make an in-class group presentation. Students are encouraged to be active in all classes, asking questions and engaging in discussion. A reading list and essay questions will be distributed at the beginning of the semester. 

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Pre-submission feedback on essay and presentation plans. 

Reassessment

Additional costs