Have you ever thought about how language works?

Well, I definitely have NOT been twiddling my fingers.

Have I told you lately that I LOVE MY CLASSES?! I really do and it's kind of freaking me out because it's almost like an out-of-body experience seeing my interest in some of this stuff. The word that keeps coming up is FASCINATING. Man, but it is a load of work. I'm tired already!

Have you ever thoughts about language? Here's an excerpt from my book for intro. to linguistics:

From relatively few elements and rules in a language system, humans can produce
and understand a limitless number of sentences by combining and recombining the
same relatively few elements in relatively few patterns. Even a single week's issues of, say, Time, Newsweek, and The Economist are unlikely to repeat any sentences (other than quoted utterances), and the same is true over years of publication. The human capacity for linguistic inventiveness makes repeated sentences unlikely, and an English speaker is capable of understanding all the English sentences in a lifetime's ready. And for many observers it is this productivity - this ability to generate and understand an infinite number of sentences by combining and recombining the same few elements and structures - that is the great hallmark of human language, the one linguistic theory centrally addresses.

SOME of the Projects...

Understanding Cultures and Worldviews: ETHNOGRAPHY

You will implement as part of a team of 3-4 students an ethnographic survey. These projects must be implemented in a non-Christian cultural context. This ethnography must conclude with 1) an application of biblical contextualization to an issue (thought or behavior pattern) significant for evangelizing or discipling this people group and 2) a reflection on a relevant apologetic issue. Be creative as you think about how to reach these people for Christ. This ethnography will be carried out in close cooperation with a local church or active evangelist/contact person.

1) Your team will conduct an ethnographic survey of an ethnic community with careful keeping of ethnographic notes as described in the course.
2) Results in 30-40 page paper analyzing the community targeted.
3) Tie into local churches that are interested in doing outreach to the community.
4) You must use elements of both ethnographic interview and participant observation in this study.
5) You must contextualize one thought or behavior pattern significant to evangelizing or discipling this people group.
6) You must reflect at least one apologetic insight which is relevant for evangelizing this group. 7) Your study will include a list of resources and contact people.
8) You must work carefully with the pastor or contact person for your team. They will be evaluating your level of cooperation and that evaluation will account for 10% of your grade for the course. See “Cooperating with Pastors…” at the back of this syllabus.
9) Your paper will be divided into sections according to the following template:
I. Introduction: Target Group and Methodology
II. History and Demographics of Target Group
III. Ethnographic Findings: Social Structures
IV. Ethnographic Findings: Ontology
V. Ethnographic Findings: Epistemology
VI. Ethnographic Findings: Axiology
VII. Contextualization
VIII. Apologetic Issue
IX. Conclusion
X. Resources and Contact Persons
10) You will individualize sections of your paper by identifying by name the writer. Each team will subdivide their paper into approximately equal sections with each member of the team responsible for the writing of their section. 10 points out of 35 for the paper will be based on the individual writing and 25 points will be based on the overall team achievement.
11) Your group paper will reflect 45 hours of individual work times the number of people on your team. The paper will be worth 45% of the grade of this course.
12) Your team will present their findings according to the oral report format grading sheet provided on the website. This oral report is worth 5% of the class grade.

My group only consists of one other person - Christian. We met with the pastor of Temple Zion last Thursday and attended Sunday School and Worship this morning. The church was probably close to 200 people. We were the only white folk in the building. (www.templezion.org) We will be working with a project that Pastor Flynn has started called The Nehemiah Project.


Theoretical Foundations of Language Teaching: PAPERS, PAPERS, and MORE PAPERS!

Here's one: LEARNER INTERVIEW: A task to help you see through the eyes of a language learner. Due Oct. 24.

Interview a person who has learned or is learning English as a foreign language, using the instructions given on the interview handout (attached). Write a summary of the interview in essay form. Give background information on the language learner, and discuss insights that you gain through the interaction. Relate your insights to the knowledge you have gained in this class. Tell how these insights could contribute to making you a more effective teacher. Do not merely list the questions and give answers, but organize the information into an essay.

Grading criteria: Following directions, background information, insights, connecting your findings to what you are learning in class, synthesis and organization, clarity, mechanics.

I'm thinking of asking Juan, the cousin of my landlord's wife who is staying with them from Spain. He's 14.


Introduction to Linguistics: LANGUAGE ANALYSIS PROJECT

Purpose: This assignment is to apply your knowledge of morphology and phonology (and syntax - Spring semester) by analyzing a language in a systematic way. It also gives you the opportunity to analyze an ESL person's speech closely, a skill that should be very useful when you are teaching English.

Procedure: This project is usually a team project. You are expected to choose a language to analyze and work with someone who has an interest in the same language. In order to complete the project, you will need to record on audiotape or in a sound file the English speech of a non-native speaker and write an analysis of that person's speech. The ideal situtation is to record someone whose English is not too advanced so that you can analyze the irregularities. You may wish to suggest that you could share the results of your analysis with the person and thus be of help in his or her learning English.

(...the syllabus explains a lot more... and then...)

The paper is to be a thorough description of your subject's English speech. It should include appropriate examples of each feature discussed.


WOOHOO! ...?

Course Descriptions

Understanding Cultures and Worldviews:
This course will enable you to understand the philosophical assumptions which an individual uses in constructing the belief system by which he/she makes decisions about the world. It will help you construct a biblical worldview and provide you with the skills needed to analyze the culture and worldview of the people God has called you to reach. Special attention will be given to tools for understanding culture as an essential means of entry into cross-cultural ministry.

Theoretical Foundations of Language Teaching:
This course is an introduction to the principles and practices of English language teaching. We will examine the theories and practices of language teaching and learning in general and English language teaching in particular, focusing on the adult learner. We will also examine the use of English language teaching in connection with Christian ministry and missions.

Introduction to Linguistics:
This is an introductory survey of the major areas of linguistics. This course is intended to inform the student of how language works at different levels and how those levels interact with one another. This course cover Phonetics (the sounds of language), Phonology (the sound systems of individual languages), Morphology (the origin and structure of words), Semantics (how words make meaning), Pragmatics (language in its context), Sociolinguistics (language in society), and the History of English. It does not include Syntax since that is covered in a separate course.

WOOHOO!

Breakfast of Champions & Louisiana Dinner

Well... I didn't have "begging, aches, dozed, jetty, aren't choose" for breakfast this morning. I didn't have grits either. I wanted to be like Tony Gwynn instead.

Trying to get into the swing of things at work. "Chaplain Thompson's Office, this is Katie."

MY FIRST CLASS YESTERDAY WAS WONDERFUL! The work load is terrific and the prof extremely weird but it was so engaging and thought-provoking and I didn't want to leave! I can't wait until next Tuesday! The class was entitled Understanding Cultures and Worldviews.

I'll be off to my second class in a little bit. It's an Intro. to TEFL class. I guess that's why I'm here.

I was walking across campus for various reasons earlier and have found shortcuts through buildings! I wrote that I was freezing but I will always praise the Lord for air-conditioning!

Made jambalaya two nights ago for dinner. It was good but if I waited too long between bites my eyes started to water, nose started to run, and mouth felt like a dragon getting ready to blow flames! I don't know if I'll make it again.

My Little Studio

as soon as you walk into the room you face my "kitchen"

if you face the right, you see my book shelf

if you face the left, you see my living area and bed

my desk

looking from the end of my bed. front door is on the right.

Well... I'm here...

On Saturday at the Grad/Sem Picnic we played a get-to-know-people game. One of the things we had to do was find someone who had driven over 300 miles to get here - well, what about 2,000! There are a few more that I've met from California and we've bonded quickly.

I live in a quiet little studio apartment on the lower level of a split-level house of one of the undergrad profs. It's on a gravel road in the woods. It's peaceful. I'm enjoying my privacy.

I'll be working on campus as the administrative assistant to the dean of women.

Everybody's complaining about the heat wave. "It hasn't been this hot in 15 years!" #1 It's not as humid as Chuuk and at least they have air conditioning in every building all the time. #2 They have air conditioning in every building all the time! I'm freezing most of the time in this heat wave of theirs.

Church the first Sunday was, uh, ...let's just say "old school" would be too modern a description.

Yesterday I went to a little church about 3 minutes more into the woods from my house. The people were absolutely southern-friendly and I knew much about their lives and children before the day was through. It's not my ideal or favorite but the preaching was solid and it might be nice to do something different for a little while.

Classes start tomorrow. I'm excited. A little sick to my stomach, but excited.

So... here I am.