ASIAN 401 A: Introduction to Asian Linguistics

Winter 2026
View in MyPlan View in Time Schedule
Meeting:
MF 12:30pm - 2:20pm
SLN:
10550
Section Type:
Lecture
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

You can find all course materials through the Modules page.

Map of Asia with color-coding showing the location of major language familes

Welcome to ASIAN 401, "Introduction to Asian Linguistics".

This course is a general introduction to contemporary linguistics—the formal description and analysis of human language—with special reference to the languages of Asia. Students will learn the basic concepts and methodologies of linguistic inquiry with a focus on the linguistic features of Asian languages. Topics covered include phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, historical and comparative linguistics, and language classification. Note: This is an introductory course, and is probably not suitable for those who have had Linguistics 400 or other advanced linguistics courses. Consult the instructor if you have questions.

[Image: Language Families of Asia, by Kwamikagami at Wikipedia, original has been cropped.]

Course Details

Printable versions of this syllabus and the full schedule:

 Asian 401 Syllabus | Asian 401 Schedule

Catalog Description:
Linguistic analysis, with emphasis on languages of East, Southeast, South, and Central Asia. Includes phonetics, phonemics, morphology, syntax, historical reconstruction, linguistic typology, comparative grammar. Survey of major languages and language families of Asia. Diverse Asian languages as subjects of linguistic analysis. Prior knowledge of linguistics not required.
GE Requirements Met:
Arts and Humanities (A&H)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
December 26, 2025 - 1:48 am