Abstract

The introductory linguistics course is the primary antidote that academic linguists can offer to commonly held, yet basically wrong-headed, views about language. It is essential, therefore, that this course be meaningful to the nonmajor student. Through a series of five vignettes, each by a different author and representing a variety of institutional types, we explore options other than 'baby' theoretical linguistics to the introductory linguistics course. A fundamental conclusion to these vignettes is that success in reaching the nonmajor turns on taking account of the institutional context and the student population and tailoring courses to be sensitive to these variables. This conclusion is driven home with an administrative view as to why every academic linguist and linguistics program should find the search for a successful introductory course compelling.

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