7ENGL009W Linguistic Description and Analysis
Assessment 1: Data Collection and Coding (30%)
Word limit:
Instructions:
1,500 words (±10%)
1. Data collection: Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure that you obtain your language data in the safest way possible, we suggest using any of the following sources for your data collection: YouTube, Vimeo, WhatsApp, and Skype. You may also use data from the open access bilingual data bank at https://biling.talkbank.org/browser/ or any other language databases to which you have access.
(i) Collect 30 minutes of language data from any of the suggested sources in a language other than English (wherever possible).
(ii) Transcribe 10 minutes of that data in standard orthography.
(iii) 5 minutes in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). (Use this link to watch a demonstration of how to do orthographic and phonetic transcription: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=KfAzeA4hdY)
(iv) Your data should be presented on separate lines in Latin
script, glossed and spaced appropriately for the task, and translated, as in the example below.
1. o ti-ra ego la u̩lo̩aku̩ anyi̩
2. /oʊ ti-ra ɛgoʊ la ʊlɒakʊ aɲi/
3. he put-PST money into bank-N our-DET
4. ‘He put money into our bank.’
2. Using your transcribed data identify and discuss briefly the main distinguishing characteristics of your chosen language, focusing particularly on:
(i) Phonetics
(ii) Morphology
(iii) Syntax
(iv) Semantics, and
(v) Deixis
You will be assessed on your ability to:
• Collect and present data in a manner appropriate to the task
• Code for the linguistic characteristics outlined in (i) – (v) above
• Follow appropriate methodological procedures as outlined in the seminars
• Use terms precisely
• Explain any terms you use by drawing on valid academic sources
• Cite relevant sources for terms, concepts and other information
• Use proper academic sources including books, textbook and journal articles
• Format citations and references accurately according to
Westminster’s Referencing Your Work guide (Available online and
in the library)
• Write in formal academic English.
Submission guidelines: • Submit your work via the module Blackboard site by the deadline
• Double space your work
• Put a word count at the end of your work
• You are permitted to go 10% over or under the specified word count
• Submit only Word .doc or .docx files
• Do not submit .pdfs., please.
Grading criteria: • 70-80%: Work in this category completes the tasks accurately
and with sufficient detail; the work is clearly presented, and an excellent overall understanding is displayed.
• 60-69%: Work in this category completes the tasks with some accuracy and with sufficient detail; the work is clearly presented, and a good overall understanding is displayed.
• 50-59%: Work in this category completes the tasks with either varying accuracy or the response lacks some detail in places;
the work may be adequately presented, and a sound overall understanding is displayed.
• 40-49%: Work in this category completes the tasks with some accuracy; some content may be missing; the work may benefit from more careful presentation; some uncertainty or misunderstanding is displayed.
• Below 40%: Work in this category may not address some parts; a substantial amount of the work may be lacking in accuracy or simply absent; overall, the response demonstrates little understanding of the description and presentation of linguistic structure.