Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture (Code:EMAC620001, 2014 Fall)

Qunhu Gong

龚群虎

(Professor of Linguistics, Chinese Department, Fudan University)


1.Course description:


This course introduces the basic speech sounds, grammar, social factors, dialects, etc. of the Chinese language and a selection of important topics of Chinese culture, such as beliefs, art, education, food, festivals etc.. It is not assumed that students know the Chinese language, but they will be requested to try to analyze some basic Chinese language data and discuss cultural topics in classroom together with the teacher. Also, students need to take the (open-book) final exam on Chinese language, and to give presentations about Chinese culture or culture comparisons. Students are expected to have a preliminary overall knowledge of the Chinese language and culture by the end of the semester.



2.Office hours:by appointment, 1216 Guanghua Towers West, Gong.Qunhu@fudan.edu.cn


3.Course materials:

1. Gong, Qunhu, Course handouts (Required)

2. Norman, Jerry, 2008/1988, Chinese, Cambridge University Press and Beijing World Publishing Corporation(Required. Available in major bookstores)  

3. DeFrancis, John, 1984, The Chinese Language, University of Hawaii Press (Optional for highly readable discussions on Chinese writing system)

(Reference books/online materials on a variety of cultural topics are not listed)


4.Grading policy:

Homework:20 points

Presentation                15 points

Final exam:40 points

Participation:25 points

Total:100 points




A+:95-100         

B+:80-84

C+:65-69

A:90-94           

B: 75-79

C:60-64

A-:85-89                

B-:70 -74

C-:55-59

D:-F:below 55





5. Schedule  (Subject to change. 13:30-16:05, every Tuesday, except national holidays)

Week

Date


Culture topics

Language topics

Reading assignment

Week 1


Sept 16

Geography

  • Course introduction

  • Chinese Language fact

  • Basic terms in Norman’s book

Course syllabus




  • Basic linguistic concepts

Handouts

Week 2


Sept 23

Peoples

  • Pinyin

  • International Phonetic Alphabet

Handouts

Norman chapter 1



  • Chinese and related languages

Handouts

Norman chapter 1

Week 3

Sept 30

History and tradition

  • Chinese scripts: graphs, sounds and meanings

Handouts

DeFrancis part II



  • Chinese scripts: development

Handouts

Norman chapter 2


Week 4

Oct 7

no class

  • (National holiday week)


Week 5

Oct 11

Beliefs

  • Modern Standard Chinese: Phonology(initials and finals)

Handouts

Norman chapter 6(6.1-6.5)



  • Modern Standard Chinese: phonology( tones,stress and intonations)

Handouts

Norman chapter 6(6.6-6.8)

Week 6

Oct 21

Art, music and literature

  • Modern Standard Chinese: morphology(morphemes and word formation)

Handouts

Norman chapter7(7.1-7.4)



  • Modern Standard Chinese: syntax(sentence types, interrogation, negation, and special sentences)

Handouts

Norman chapter 7(7.5-7.6)

Week 7

Oct 28

Education

  • Classical Chinese: basic grammar

Handouts

Norman chapter 4



  • Classical Chinese: sample text analysis

Handouts

Week 8

Nov 4

State and Social institutions

  • Chinese historical phonology(stages and sound change

Handouts

Norman chapter 2(2.1-2.3, 2.6,2.7)



  • Chinese historical phonology(reconstruction

Handouts

Norman chapter 2(2.4,2.5)

Week 9

Nov 11

Foreign Cultures in China

  • Grammatical and semantic change over time

Handouts

Norman chapter 5




  • Chinese dialects

Handouts

Norman chapter 8- 9

Week 10

Nov 18

Taboo

  • Taboo and Euphemism

  • Cultural presentation prep. Q & A

Handouts


Week 11

Nov 25

Food culture

  • English loanwords in Chinese

Handouts






Week 12

Dec 2

Festivals

  • language and society

Handouts

Norman chapter 10(10.1-10.3)



  • language and society: language reform

Handouts

Norman chapter 10(10.4-10.5)

DeFrancis Part VI






Week 13

Dec 9

Family and Daily conventions

  • Chinese dictionaries and Chinese lexicography

Handouts

Norman 7(7.7-7.9)



  • Chinese in computer age

Handouts


Week 14

Dec 16

Student’s cultural talks

  • Presentation







Week 15

Dec 23

Student’s cultural talks

  • Presentation







Week 16

Dec 30


  • Final exam




















Important:  Final exam (open-book exam) 13:30-16:30, Dec 30, 2014, or by notice




中国语言与文化导论/Introduction to ChineseLanguage and Culture版权所有