OJ437 Languages of Africa

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Václav Blažek, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Václav Blažek, CSc.
Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Introduction in the results of the genetic classification of the languages of Africa and demonstration of the extraordinary complex ethnic and linguistic situation in Africa today. Students should be able to understand the complex ethno- and glottogonic processes in Africa of both past and present.
Syllabus
  • 1. Khoisan languages. 2. Austronesian languages: Malagase. 3. Niger-Kordofanian. 4. Nilo-Saharan. 5. Afroasiatic: 5.1. Chadic; 5.2. Berber-Libyan; 5.3. Egyptian + Coptic; 5.4. Cushitic; 5.5. Omotic; 5.6. Semitic. 6. Sociolinguistic situation in modern Africa.
Literature
  • KLÉGR, Aleš. Světem jazyků. Praha: Albatros, 1989. info
  • KRUPA, Viktor, Jozef GENZOR and Ladislav DROZDÍK. Jazyky sveta. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Obzor, 1983, 507 s. info
  • RŮŽIČKA, Karel František, Petr ZIMA and Vladimír KLÍMA. Czarna Afryka : literatura i język. Wrocław: Zakład Narodowy Imienia Ossolińskich, 1980. ISBN 8304005638. info
  • KLÍMA, Vladimír, Karel František RŮŽIČKA and Petr ZIMA. Black Africa : literature and language. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1976, 310 s. info
Teaching methods
The course is divided into two parts. During the introducing part the teacher offers a comprehensive overview of all African language families and the most important languages, in context of the geographic, demographic and historical circumstances. The second part consists of the students' presentations devoted to individual African languages.
Assessment methods
The succesful colloquium depends on quality of the final work, i.e. the description of one of the African languages and the linguistic situation of the territory, where this language is spoken.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Spring 2009, Autumn 2015, Spring 2019, Spring 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2021/OJ437