Course Form
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
Linguistics Program
Course Title
Prefix and Course
#
LING 589
Morphology
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
Summarize the change(s) proposed
Adding a co-convened graduate level course
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Requestor:
Mizuki Miyashita
Phone/ email :
x5164
mizuki.miyashita@umontana.edu
Program
Irene Appelbaum
Chair/Director:
Other affected
programs
Dean:
Chris Comer
Are other departments/programs affected by this modification Please obtain signature(s) from the
because of
Chair/Director of any such department/
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
program (above) before submission
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
III: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into
section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
Common Course Numbering Review (Department Chair Must Initial):
YES
NO
Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere in the MUS? Check all relevant disciplines if
X
course is interdisciplinary. (http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp)
If YES: Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with existing course(s)? Please indicate
equivalent course/campus. 
If NO: Course may be unique, but is subject to common course review. Be sure to include learning outcomes
on syllabus or paste below. The course number may be changed at the system level.
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits,
repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
C 589 Morphology 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., LING 470. A survey of the morphological features of
several unrelated languages to provide the student with a broad overview of how languages compare and
contrast. This course co-convenes with LING 489. Graduate students taking LING 589 will complete
additional requirements and their work will be of a more advanced nature.
Justification: How does the course fit with the existing curriculum? Why is it needed?
The Linguistics Program awards an MA degree but also serves a large undergraduate population
(Linguistics minor, Anthropology major with a Linguistics Option, English major with an English
Linguistics Option, English majors with an Option in Teaching ESL, students pursuing a Certificate
of Accomplishment in ESL, Department of Curriculum and Instruction majors with a minor
teaching field in ESL, teaching majors and minors in Spanish, French and German). To serve all
groups (graduate and undergraduate) we have employed a UG system for many of our courses.
However, within this system, our Linguistics MA students have struggled to satisfy the Board of
Regents 50/50 rule that requires half of a graduate students courses to be 500-level and above. In the
past we have opened Independent Study sections and Special Topics sections for graduate students
who would attend the equivalent 400-level UG course but would complete additional graduate-level
increments. The addition of co-convening courses for the core Linguistics curriculum will provide
more transparency between the graduate and undergraduate curriculum while maintaining
compliance with graduate and undergraduate curriculum policies.
Are there curricular adjustments to accommodate teaching this course?
The addition of this course will not require additional teaching accommodations as it is a coconvening course with a regularly-taught 400-level course. However, the requirements of the
Linguistics graduate program will be adjusted to accurately represent the new MA program of study
(i.e., students will be required to complete 500-level co-convening courses instead of 400-level UG
courses).
Complete for UG courses (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment - see procedure 301.30
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/committees/grad_council/procedures/default.aspx
Complete for Co-convented courses
Companion course number, title, and description (include syllabus of companion course in section V)
See procedure 301.20 http://umt.edu/facultysenate/committees/grad_council/procedures/default.aspx.
U 489 Morphology 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., LING 470. A survey of the morphological features of
several unrelated languages to provide the student with a broad overview of how languages compare and
contrast. This course co-convenes with LING 589.
New fees and changes to existing fees are only approved once each biennium by the
Board of Regents. The coordination of fee submission is administered by Administration
and Finance. Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific conditions
according to Policy 940.12.1 http://mus.edu/borpol/bor900/940-12-1.pdf . Please
indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
IV. To Delete or Change an Existing Course – check X all that apply
Deletion
Title
Course Number Change
From:
Level U, UG, G
Co-convened
To:
Description Change
Change in Credits
Prerequisites
From:
To:
YES
From:
To:
Repeatability
Cross Listing
(primary
program
initiates form)
Is there a fee associated with the
course?
NO
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course
number
4. If co-convened course: companion course number, title, and description
(include syllabus of companion course in section V) See procedure 301.20
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/committees/grad_council/procedures/default.aspx.
5. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering?
http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp
If yes, please explain below whether this change will eliminate the course’s common course
status.
YES NO
6. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to UG.
Have you reviewed the graduate
Reference procedure 301.30:
increment guidelines? Please check (X)
space provided.
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/committees/
grad_council/procedures/default.aspx
(syllabus required in section V)
7. Other programs affected by the change
8. Justification for proposed change
V. Syllabus/Assessment Information (must include learning outcomes)
Required for new courses and course change from U to UG. Paste syllabus in field below or attach and send
digital copy with form.
See attached.
Syllabi for LING C 589 and co-convened LING U 489
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course
number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of
proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.
Revised 8-23-11
LINGUISTICS 589
Morphology
University of Montana
Autumn 2010
Syllabus
Time/Place:
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Tue./Thu. 11:10-12:30
Dr. Mizuki Miyashita
M&W 11-12 or by appointment
Phone:
Email:
243-5164 (office)
mizuki.miyashita@umontana.edu
Description and Objectives
This course surveys the morphological features of several unrelated languages to provide the student with a broad
overview of how languages compare and contrast. It also includes the typological classification of languages spoken
in the world, study structure of selected languages of the world. Students are expected to improve their linguistic
analytical skills. This course co-convenes with LING 489. Graduate students will take leadership in class activities,
organize study group, and give a lecture on a journal paper.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this course, students will be able to:
 Improve fundamental skills in linguistic analysis
 Understand and identify diversity of morphological structures occur in human language
 Analyze complex and systematic patterns morphological data sets.
 Understand interaction between morphology and other subfields in linguistics: phonetics, phonology, syntax,
semantics and pragmatics.
 Comprehend the reasoning of proposed theoretical treatments in morphology: morphological typology,
ergative construction, anti-passives, split-absolutive system, causative construction, etc.
 Read, understand and present on advanced journal papers in morphology.
 Write and present a grammatical sketch of an uncommonly taught/less studied language.
 Compose a dataset from a descriptive grammar book.
 Obtain critical thinking skills and written/oral presentation skills that are highly appreciated academic and/or
professional environments.
Prerequisites LING 470
Course Requirements
Homework 1-4
Homework 5
Morphological sketch
Oral presentation
Written
Article presentation
Morphology Data
40% (10% x 4)
20 %
15%
15%
10%
5%
Grading Criteria
A
92-100%
B- 78-80%
D+ 65-67%
A- 89-91%
C+ 75-77%
D
61-64%
B+ 85-88%
C
70-74%
D- 55-60%
B
81-84%
C- 68-70%
F
0-54%
Pass/Fail option is NOT available. You must be passing in
order to be considered for receiving an incomplete.
(http://www2.umt.edu/catalog/acpolpro.htm)
Morphological Sketch and Presentation
 Pair up and write a morphological sketch of a language
 Choice of Language
o Choose a language uncommonly taught/studied – but it must have been described enough. Do not decide on a
language without confirming the existence of available description. Find a language that has a descriptive grammar
and not a pedagogical grammar.
Written
o Your sketch must include: genetic/geographic classification, morphological type, and morpho-syntax (phonology
only if necessary to explain the morphology).
o Your sketch must include examples for each concept introduced.
o Summarize major characteristics that differ significantly from English or other commonly-taught languages.
(Something that is new to you)
o Discuss how one of the differences may complicate a theoretical issue in morphology or syntax.
Oral Presentation
o
Out of your sketch, select a few morphological characteristics and prepare and present a 20-minute-long talk
(followed by 10 min discussion/question)
Morphology Data
 Create a data set problem (2 page max)
 On a separate sheet, analyze your data set and articulate what this exercise demonstrates/introduces in terms of
morphology.
 For this assignment, choose a language that is morphologically challenging to you. Your data may let us look for any of
the characteristics we covered in class. If the topic was not covered in class, add information of what it is with citation.
Cite where the data come from.
Policies and Agreements
Attendance/Absence Policy
 Attending to every class meeting is very important for the information given in class. Information given in class is not
always the same as what is in the textbook. Some information given only in the class may reflect topics in assignments.
 Your absence does not hurt nothing but your grade and/or your own class experience. You may turn in your excuse
document (e.g. a doctor’s note, a letter from your other class instructor due to field training or fieldtrip, etc.), since
verbal communication on this matter does not guarantee your excuse will be on the record. Please be responsible for the
consequences.
Academic Misconduct (http://life.umt.edu/SA/documents/fromWeb/StudentConductCode1.pdf)

Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University.
Academic misconduct is defined as all forms of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to: 1) Plagiarism, 2) Misconduct
during an examination or academic exercise, 3) Unauthorized possession of examination or other course materials, 4) Tampering
with course materials, 5) Submitting false information, 6) Submitting work previously presented in another course, 7) Improperly
influencing conduct, 8) Substituting, or arranging substitution, for another student during an examination or other academic exercise,
9) Facilitating academic dishonesty, and 10) Altering transcripts, grades, examinations, or other academically related documents.
Extra Credit Policy
 There is no extra credit opportunity. Be responsible for your own plans, action and take the consequences.
Students with disabilities
Students with disabilities
are
suggested
to
arrange
special
accommodations
through
DSS
(x2243).
Textbook/readings
Mark Aronoff and Kirsten Fundeman. (2005) What is Morphology? Blackwell. (Required)
Lyovin. (1997) An Introduction to the Languages of the World. Oxford. (Required)
Articles (On Blackboard)
Charles Hockett (1954) “Two models of grammatical description”
Marianne Mithun (1991) “Active/Agentive Case Marking and its Motivations” Language.
Mizuki Miyashita, Richard Demers and Delbert Ortiz (2003) “Grammatical Relations in Tohono O’odham: an
instrumental Perspective.” In Word Order and Scrambling, Simin Karimi ed. Blackwell.
Thomas Willett (1988) “A Cross-Linguistics Survey of The Grammaticization of Evidentiality” Studies in Language
12-1. (47pg)
Marianne Mithun and Wallace Chafe (1999) What are S, A, and O? Studies in Language 23:3. 569-596.
Bernard Comrie (1989) “Chapter 5: Subject” In Language Universals & Language Typology. Chicago
Ofelia Zepeda (1987) “Desiderative-Causatives in Tohono O’odham” IJAL. Vol. 53, No. 3 pp. 348-361
Recommended Readings
Dixon (1994.) Ergativity. Cambridge.
Bernerd Comrie. (1989) Language Universals & Language Typology.
William Croft. (1990) Typology and Universals. Cambridge University Press.
Edward Sapir (1929) The Status of Linguistics as a Science. Language, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 207-214
McFadden, T. (2003) On morphological case and word-order freedom. Paper presented at BLS 29.
Payne, Doris L. (1992) "Nonidentifiable information and pragmatic order rules in O’odham." In Doris L. Payne (ed.),
Pragmatics of word order flexibility, 137-66. Typological Studies in Language, 21. Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Schedule of the semester (Tentative: The content on this syllabus may be modified)
wk
In Class
Topic
Reading
A&F pp1-26
1
Jan. 25
1 What is Morphology? Word?
Jan. 27
Chickasaw
A&F p32-69
2
Feb. 1
2 Words and Lexemes
Due
Luiseno
Swahili
Feb. 3
3
Feb. 8
Feb.10
4
Feb. 15
5
Feb. 17
Feb. 22
6
Feb. 24
Mar. 1
Mar. 3
7
Mar. 8
Mar. 10
8
Mar. 15
Mar. 17
9
Mar. 22
10
Mar. 24
Mar. 29
Mar. 31
11
12
13
14
15
Fin
Apr. 5
Apr. 7
Apr. 12
Apr. 14
3 Morpheme Discovery Process
Library Session
Student Learning Center 2nd Floor
(Go over Hockett)
4 Morpheme Types and Typology
5 Derivation& Inflection
Derivational morphology
Noun inflection/ class/gender
5 Derivation& Inflection (cont.)
Verb inflection
Case study in Finnish
Cases and text
6 Morphology and Syntax I
Case and case/Word order
Transitive/intransitive
Non-configurational
7 Morphology and Syntax II
Ergative/Absolutive
S/A/O encoding
Split Ergativity
7 Morphology and Syntax II (cont.)
Stative/agentive
Passive/antipassive
8 Morphosyntax and Semantics
Other passives
Desiderative-causative
Spring Break
Apr. 21
Apr. 26
Apr. 28
May 3
May 5
Guest Speaker: Jeanie Castillo
9 Morphology and Pragmatics
Evidentials - discourse deixis
Honorifics - social deixis
Presentation
(Graduate Students)
TBA
Presentation
Presentation
Presentation
Summary
May 9 (M)
8-10AM
Apr. 19
1. Swahili & Zoque
Hockett
Blackfoot
Lyovin pp14-21
Lyovin p26
A&F pp103-148
A&F pp149-184
Finnish
Lyovin pp78-101
2. Chamorro &
Zacapoxtla Aztec
3. Navajo
Lummi
O’odham
Chukchi
Dyirbal
Basque
Warlpili
Miyashita et al.
Comrie (Ch5)
Mithun
Dyirbal
Japanese
O’odham
4. Lummi Sentences
Mithun & Chafe
A&F pp185-210
Zepeda
5. Hiaki
Wilett
Japanese
DUE Morphological
Sketch
Graduate Data Sets