COURSES WE OFFER - 2 MA
MA Seminar (2015-2017)
Translation Process Research
Bogusława Whyatt, D.Litt., University professor
This seminar will focus on the psycholinguistic aspects of the translation process. The translation process is believed to be one of the most complex operations that can be performed by the human bilingual mind. Seen from the psycholinguistic perspective it includes processing a Source Language (SL) text (or speech) for comprehension with the immediate purpose of transferring the decoded meaning into a Target Language (TL) text. The psycholinguistic processes which are consciously utilized include constant language switching, lexical access to vocabulary needed to express the desired meaning, information processing, attention control, knowledge acquisition, etc. There are also however, psycholinguistic processes which run unconsciously in the minds of translators, especially in those who are less experienced or total novices, like for example cross-linguistic interference at all levels of language and cognition. In this seminar we shall ask many questions about the nature of language processing in the bilingual mind of a translator, the organization of bilingual memory, cognitive control and the metalinguistic abilities needed to acquire translation expertise. Since this seminar has a very strong research bias students will be encouraged to explore a selected issue concerning Translation Process Research in their MA projects. It is hoped that empirical studies using up-to-date psycholinguistic research methods conducted by students in this seminar will contribute to our understanding of the human ability to use language for translation.
Biological
and psychological foundations of language
Katarzyna Bromberek-Dyzman, D.Litt.
This course is an up-to-date introduction to the neuroscience of language. It guides students through all of the major areas of language in the brain investigations, beginning with fundamental aspects of brain structure and functions, and then proceeding to cover the perception, production and comprehension of speech, and written language. Drawing heavily on prominent theoretical models that inspire empirical research on language in mind/brain interactions, we will study how the theory about language in the brain is supported, or challenged, by experiments employing diverse brain mapping techniques. Although inherently challenging, the course, requires no previous knowledge of neuroscience. Technical terms, neural and mental principles of operation will be introduced and explained along the way. The classes aim at stimulating interest, and discussion on the neurobiology of language, and are meant to help students understand the neural underpinnings of language, so that they have a better insight into the mind/brain mechanics when planning, and designing their own M.A. projects.
Research methods
Karolina Rataj, Ph.D.
The aim of this course is to familiarize the students with the basic knowledge of planning, designing and performing an experiment, as well as analyzing the results. Basic notions such as variables, validity, reliability, scales of measurement or ethics will be presented in relation to psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic research. Furthermore, basic statistical analyses will be discussed. At the end of the course students will be able to read and evaluate research reported in scientific journals, formulate good research hypotheses and select research methods to test them, design a simple psycholinguistic experiment, as well as select and perform basic statistical analyses such as t-test or ANOVA to analyze the results.
The exploration of multilingualism: selected issues in third or additional language acquisition
Magdalena Wrembel, D.Litt.
The course aims at exploring contemporary theoretical approaches to third or additional language acquisition research. A distinction between second and third language acquisition (SLA vs. TLA) is introduced as the latter has recently started to manifest itself as a discipline in its own right. Selected issues to be discussed include current models of multilingual acquisition, cross-linguistic influence (CLI), socio- and psycholinguistic factors affecting the process of multiple language acquisition, the genesis and development of research on multilingualism as well as emotions and metalinguistic awareness in multilinguals. Special attention is drawn to research instruments and methodology applied in third language acquisition studies as well as the implications of empirical studies for foreign language pedagogy and multilingual schooling.
Clinical linguistics
Karolina Rataj, Ph.D.
The aim of the course is to acquaint the students with developmental and acquired language disorders. Language problems observed in e.g. aphasia, specific language impairment, or dementia will be discussed together with various language and speech therapy methods, including neurorehabilitation methods such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) or transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). Additionally, language disorders in bilingual speakers will be presented. At the end of the course, students will be able to critically read and discuss articles reporting research on language disorders, recognize basic language disorders, present etiology of selected language disorders as well as methods used in speech and language therapy.
Anticipation in communication; or how do we guess
Katarzyna Bromberek-Dyzman, D.Litt.
The aim of this course is to explore the mechanics of anticipation in communication. We will study processes that allow human mind/brain to extract and use available contextual information to generate predictions, and guide cognition. We will discuss most recent experimental findings that allow to peek into brain, and to solve just one of its mysteries: how we guess, and how come that we are so quick and efficient in it, without even knowing that we constantly guess. The picture that emerges from the recent anticipation research shows that our brains cannot help but draw inferences about the world constantly and instantly. The perceptual systems by default go beyond the information given, and proactively anticipate to enable making bets, taking risks, and grasping what is going on. We will take a look at the mental (cognitive, affective) and neural principles of guessing, and will discuss how anticipation/guessing facilitate language perception, production and comprehension, and how come that we are so quick in inferring what others mean, even when they do not say it explicitly, or predicting what they intend to say before they do.