M.A.Linguistics

Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages Master of Arts in Linguistics

M.A. Linguistics

1. List of Academic Staff

Name	Status and Qualification	Research Interests
J.O. Friday-Otun	Reader & Acting Head of Department B.A. (Jos); M.A. (Ilorin); M.Phil., Ph.D. (Ibadan)	Applied Linguistics, Semantics, Pragmatics
A.S. Abdussalam	Professor B.A., M.Phil. (Riyadh); Ph.D. (Khartoum)	Applied Linguistics, Arabic Linguistics, Pedagogical Linguistics,Translation Studies
G. Fakuade	Professor B.Ed., M.A. (Ibadan); Ph.D.(Ilorin)	Sociolinguistics, English Language, Yoruba Language, Syntax, DiscourseAnalysis
I.O. Sanusi	Professor B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Syntax and Applied Linguistics
Bolanle E. Arokoyo	Reader B.A, M.A., Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Syntax and Applied Linguistics
K.A Rafiu	Reader B.A., M.A., Ph.D. Ilorin.	Phonology and Applied Linguistics
C.I. Nnaji	Senior Research Fellow B.A. (UNN, Nsukka); M.A.,Ph.D. (Ibadan)	Linguistics, Igbo Language, Communication Arts
Samiat O. Abubakre	Senior Lecturer B.A. (Ibadan), M.A., Ph.D.(Ilorin)	Applied Linguistics
Mary C. Amaechi	Lecturer I B.A.,  M.A.  (Ilorin);  Ph.D.(Potsdam)	Syntax, Language Documentation, Igbo Linguistics

B. Introduction

Master of Arts Degree in Linguistics is designed to train professional linguists at advanced levels in order to facilitate communicative needs in language teaching, language planning, language engineering, language documentation, publishing, broadcasting and other disciplines in a globalized world where communication reigns supreme.

C. Philosophy

The philosophy of the programme hinges on integrating theoretical considerations with practical applications in the discipline, promotion and protection of languages; as well as serving the needs of individuals who wish to become internationally-recognized professional linguists and applied linguists.

D. Aim and Objectives

The programme aims to present advanced study of languages from an integrative perspective where the study of language contributes to nation development. The objectives of the programme are to:

1. provide adequate training for those who wish to engage in research and instructional activities in linguistics and applied linguistics as required at the university level;
2. produce competent linguists, who are adequately equipped to understand, interpret and exploit linguistic principles in handling language issues;
3. produce qualified linguists who are adequately trained to handle language related issues in human practical life
4. develop the languages of the majorities and the minorities through the use of modernmethods of research and documentation
5. produce competent and relevant linguists who can contribute to the development in a communication-dominated world; and
6. exploit linguistic principles in promoting ancillary disciplines through teaching, research and developmental activities.

E. Admission Requirements

1. Candidates must possess a minimum of five ‗O‘ Level Credit passes, which must include English Language. NCE in language-related fields is also acceptable.
2. Candidates must possess a good Bachelor degree in linguistics, a language-related discipline, education (with a language as teaching subject), communication or social sciences not lower than a Second Class (Lower Division) from a recognized university.
3. Candidates shall be subjected to a selection process except graduate of linguistics of University of Ilorin with Second Class (Upper Division) and above.

F. Duration of the Programme

1. The Full-time M.A. programme shall run for a minimum of 18 calendar months and a maximum of 24 calendar months.
2. The Part-time M.A. programme shall run for a minimum of 24 calendar months and maximum of 36 calendar months.

G. Detailed Course Description

LIN 801    Theories of Syntax 3 Credits

In-depth study of syntactic structure, with particular reference to African Languages, within the current theory. Evaluation of the competing existing theories of syntax. Degree of applicability of each of the theories to empirical  syntactic data in solving peculiar problems among Nigerian or African Languages 45h (T); C

LIN 802 Issues in Phonology 3 Credits

Major issues affecting the foundation and development of generative phonology: abstractness controversy, rule ordering, simplicity and naturalness, substantive universal, theories of word formation, tone rule. Theory of phonology: auto- segmental phonology, lexical phonology. 45h (T); C

LIN 803 History of Linguistics 3 Credits Development of descriptive linguistics from European antiquity to the middle of the 20th century. Development in the late 20th century to the 21st century. Foundation in antiquity. Babylonian, Hindu, Greek and Roman traditions. Arabic and Hebrew traditions. Middle Ages. Modern linguistics. Danish structuralism. American structuralism. Formal linguistics. Functional linguistics. 45h (T); C

LIN 804 Advanced Semantics 3 Credits

Semantic theories and their application: presupposition and focus, topic and comment, semantic interpretation, reference, scope, ambiguity, negation, quantifiers, implicature and entailment, case, activity emotivity. Language communicative process, pragmatic models, speech art, deictic properties. Characteristics of context with sample analysis on Nigerian languages. 45h (T); C

LIN 805 Current Issues in Phonetics 3 Credits

Acoustic, auditory and articulatory phonetics as facilitated by advances in computer-mediated research. Actual realization and representation of sounds. Recent

development in phonetics. Experimental phonetics involving African Languages. Speech synthesis. Application of phonetics to other fields: telecommunications and medicine. 45h (T); C

LIN 806 Structures of African Languages 3 Credits Phonological, morphological, and syntactic structures of African languages with specific reference to West Africa: tone, types of morphemes, processes of noun formation, noun classes, verb systems and serialization, idiophone, possessives, subordinate structures, noun modification. 45h (T); C

LIN 807 Advanced Morphology 3 Credits

Morphological structures of languages. Recent developments in morphology: word morphology, distributed morphology, lexical morphology. Complex morphological systems: morphophonemic, morphosyntax, class systems. 45h (T); C

LIN 808 Research Methodology in Theoretical Linguistics 3 Credits Fundamental characteristics of research. Practical instructions in techniques of linguistic field work and techniques of data collection and elicitation. Practical analysis of linguistics features of African languages. Use of instruments of research: wordlist, frame technique, questionnaire, tape-recorder. Writing of research reports. Use of referencing styles: APA, MLA. 30h (T); 45h (P); C

LIN 809 Advanced Sociolinguistics 3 Credits Macro/micro-sociolinguistics. Language in a multilingual society. Quantitative sociolinguistic studies of the influence of social class, gender, ethnic differences and other social factors on linguistic behavior. Language planning and policies in multilingual nations. Language conflicts, language endangerment and language rights. Role of language in nationalistic ideologies. Language spread, language maintenance. Language shift/loss/death: pidgins and creoles. 45h (T); E

LIN 810 Pragmatics 3 Credits

Principles of pragmatics, its mechanics and evolution: logical implication/pragmatic implications, conversational implications and other principles. Context knowledge of the world and shared knowledge. Incorporation of pragmatic information into formal descriptions of language. Analysis of how meaning is constructed in context through spoken and written language. Speech act theory: politeness and face. Cultural scripts and metaphor. 45h (T); E

LIN 811 Dialectology 3 Credits

Theory of dialectal variations and the practical application of the theory in the description of the spread of indigenous languages. History of dialectology research: definition and scope of dialectology. Problem of mutual intelligibility in defining languages and dialects. Diglossia, dialect continua, pluricentrism. Methods of data collection. Perceptual dialectology, language variation. 45h (T); E

LIN 812 Current Issues in Generative Syntax 3 Credits

In-depth study of current issues in syntactic theory: constraints on variables, word ]order, surface filter, movement theory, subjacency principle, landing strategies. Economy of derivation: implications for empirical syntactic data from African languages. Argumentation and evaluation of solutions to empirical problems. 45h (T); E

LIN 813 Current Issues in Applied Linguistics 3 Credits

Applied linguistics as an integrated discipline. Application of linguistic theories in language teaching and learning. Solutions to practical problems of language teaching and learning, Relationship of linguistics to pedagogical, sociological communicative and psychological theories. Translating, interpreting and language planning, contrastive linguistics, error analysis. Strategies of language learning and teaching. Discourse analysis, language for specific purposes. 45h (T); E

LIN 814 Advanced Psycholinguistics 3 Credits Psychological study of language. Biological foundations of language. Current theories of language acquisition: language and cognitive development, phonological and grammatical development in the child. Findings of current psycholinguistic research especially in the area of language acquisition and language learning. 45h (T); E

LIN 816 Stylistics 3 Credits

Linguistic study of literary texts. Discourse and pragmatic approaches in the interpretation of literacy texts. Systematic study of the principles and techniques of linguistics in analyzing different genres of literary works. 30h (T);, 45h (P); E

LIN 838 Dissertation 6 Credits

An original dissertation written on an area of Linguistics. The topic which shall be approved by the Postgraduate School on the recommendation of the Department through the Faculty must make original contribution to the area of specialization. 270h (P); C

H Graduation Requirements

1. To be awarded the M.A. degree in Linguistics, a candidate must have taken and passed the prescribed number of core courses selected from the approved list, and totaling 30 credits as follows: Courses (24 credits), Dissertation (6 credits), Total (30 credits).
2. In all cases, M.A. students must write and submit to the Department a dissertation duly supervised by a lecturer in the Department whose qualifications are not below the Ph.D. Such a thesis will be defended before an external examiner nominated by the Department and appointed by Senate through the University Postgraduate Board.

I Summary Core Courses:

LIN 801(3), LIN 802 (3), LIN 803(3), LIN 804 (3), LIN 805(3), LIN 806 (3) LIN 807(3), LIN 808 (3),

LIN 838 (6) = 30 Credits

Elective Courses:

Students are advised to take at least 6 Credits from the following Courses:

LIN 809 (3), LIN 810 (3), LIN 811 (3), LIN 812 (3), LIN 813 (3), LIN 814 (3), LIN 816 (3) = 6 Credits

Total of C + E Courses = 36 Credits