Psycholinguistics

Department of Foreign Languages

National Chiayi University
Second Semester, Academic Year 2008 (Septemeber, 2008-January, 2009)
Instructor: Fu-hsing Su
Office: Creativity Building Room 221
Office hours: Wednesday 10:10-12:00 and 15:20-17:10
Telephone: 05-2263411~8221 (O) or 07-6420835 (H) E-mail: fhsu@mail.ncyu.edu.tw

A. Course objectives
Psycholinguistics is an interdisciplinary area of specialization that focuses on the
psychological domains of the language processor. This course aims to enable you to
explore the major theories in the area of psycholinguistics. To explore specific issues in
psycholinguistics might be examined experimentally.
develop detailed knowledge of child language acquisition, second language teaching,
animal language, atypical language development, sign language, language modes.
accumulate familiarity with the biological bases of language (language & the brain),
speech perception, bilingualism and cognition, etc.
know the relationship between language, thought, and culture.
examine the methods used in psycholinguistic research and to interpret the types of
results these methods have uncovered.
understand basic language production and perception data and connect these data to the
major theories in psycholinguistics.

B. Course materials
Steinberg, Danny (1993). An introduction to psycholinguistics. London and New York:
Longman UK Limited.
Hayakawa, S. I., & Hayakawa, Alan R. (1990). Language in thought and action. Orlando,
FL: Harcourt Brace & Company
Other course materials will be distributed.

C. Course requirements and grading

1. Mid-term exam: 30%, 2. Final exam: 40%, 3. Presentation: 15%, 4. Preparation,
participation, and discussion: 15%

D. Attendance and participation

As a graduate student, you are strongly encouraged to attend class and be active in the
class. In the event of an absence, make sure to notify me of the reason. You may want to
make effective use of my office hours that provide an avenue to review your doubts and
understanding of the course materials. If the class is quiet, I assume that everyone is
understanding what I am presenting and that I am not proceeding too quickly. Thus, I rely
on you for feedback on the need for further elaboration or to slow the pace a little.

E. Course schedule
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Week

topic(s) and required readings

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Week 1
introduction to psycholinguistics
Week 2
Hayakawa (Chas. 1-6); try-outs on psycholinguistics tests; writing system of
Southern Min dialect
Week 3
commentation on Hayakawa (Chas. 1-6); animal language, writing system of
Chinese dialects
Week 4
Steinberg (Chas. 1-2, child language learning/animal language)
Week 5
Steinberg (Chas. 3-4, wild children and language/sign language); Chinese sign
language
Week 6
presentation of and commentation on Hayakawa (Chas. 7-12)
Week 7
Steinberg (Chas. 5-6, mental grammar/sentence processing and psychological
reality); mental grammar of Chinese
Week 8
baby talk in Chinese or Chinese dialects; syllabic effect of word processing
Week 9
Mid-term exam
Week 10 Steinberg (Chas. 7-8, innate ideas of language/language, thought, and culture);
world view of Chinese-speaking persons
Week 11 Steinberg (Chas. 9-10, language and the brain/child vs. adult language
acquisition)
Week 12 brain and the processing of Chinese; acquisition of Chinese as L1
Week 13 presentation of and commentation on Hayakawa (Chas. 13-18)
Week 14 speech development of Chinese-speaking children; mental lexicon in Chinese
Week 15 language acquisition of mute/deaf Chinese children; aphasia and language
disorder of Chinese people
Week 16 Steinberg (Chas. 11-12, second language teaching/bilingualism and cognition)
Week 17 Review of the course
Week 18 Final exam