Stockholm university
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Linguistic Typology

This Master’s level course in Linguistics provides knowledge of classical and modern linguistic typology.

Students discussing data.
Photo: IJEAB/Mostphotos.

Linguistic typology explores the nature of human language by comparing linguistic properties across many languages. Almost any feature of language can be investigated typologically, including syllable structure, word order, and the ways in which possession is expressed and what other relations may be expressed by the same construction. Linguists also look for generalisations in typological data and suggest universals or tendencies that can be found in different languages.

Language Typology 7.5 credits provides a broad introduction to current topics in the field and practical experience in data collection and analysis in typological research.

During the course you will learn to discuss and analyse fundamental problems in language typology, and review, discuss and present articles on language typology. You will get the opportunity to collect data from existing language descriptions and work with surveys and interview language experts or speakers of specific languages. This way you will get experience of collecting and analysing both primary and secondary data that you have collected.