Indigenous Languages of South America

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Lecture) Presenting an integrated overview of the indigenous languages of South America, this course looks at main language families spoken there, their spatial distribution, history and classification, as well as their cultural background. With 53 language families and 55 isolates, South America is not only the most diverse region in linguistic terms, but also a storehouse of unusual structural features important for understanding the full range of possible variants of human language. The course also explores typological characteristics of South American languages, potential linguistic areas, proposals of more distant relationships, and the current situation of endangered languages in this region. Additional in-depth work is required to receive credit at the 4000-level. Cross-listed: ANTH-3411(3), LING-3104(3), LING-4104(3), and IS-3104(3). Restrictions: Honours Form Required. Students may not hold credit for this course and ANTH-3411 | LING-3104 | LING-4104 | IS-3104.