A1 About

A2 Graduate Profile

A3 Program Educational Objectives

A4 Syllabus

A4.1 First Year

A4.2 General Degree

A4.2.1 Second Year

A4.2.2 Third Year

A4.3 Special Degree

A4.3.1 Second Year

A4.3.2 Third Year

A4.3.3 Fourth Year

About

Linguistics is a scientific, empirical as well as qualitative study of language. At present, this discipline covers a gamut of issues and topics which have language at its centre or involve language or one or more of its dimensions. They include the development of language as a product of the human mind, the acquisition of language by children, the changes language undergoes in the human mind, the structural evolution of languages and their dialects and varieties and the factors and forces that shape it, and the relationship between language on the one hand and entities like society, politics, economy, culture, identity, technology, the nation-state and globalization on the other.

The sub-fields of Linguistics taught by the Department of Linguistics & English at the University of Jaffna include Historical Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, Sociolinguistics, Applied Linguistics, Language and South Asia, Language Policies, Translation and Computational Linguistics. Linguistics is an ever-evolving discipline which is informed by changes that happen in social, cultural, political and economic spheres and science and technology. The Linguistics curriculum taught by the Department is on par with the advances made in the discipline in Sri Lanka, South Asia and other parts of the world and reflective of the emerging cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research on and around language.

Graduate Profile

The Department graduates will demonstrate their professionalism through the trilingual proficiency by speech abilities, speech therapy, communications, and public relations in addition to respective fields of language and Linguistics. The graduates of Linguistics will contribute in language planning activities nationally and assist the bilingual and multi-lingual societies.

A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) graduate in Linguistics of the University of Jaffna will be

Academically excellent:

  • Being familiar with the theoretical knowledge and emerging research in the field of Linguistics
  • Applying his/her linguistic knowledge when he/she contributes to various related academic fields like language teaching, translation, lexicography, media studies and speech and language therapy and conducts inter-disciplinary research
  • Possessing the ability to think critically and with care about issues that are relevant to the discipline
  • Having the ability to conduct research through field work and by gathering, processing and analysing appropriate date using his/her skills in information technology
  • Participating in academic conferences and engaging in public discussions in ways that make their scholarship meaningful and relevant to both the academic communities that he/she is part of and society at-large

Employable and able to contribute to regional and national development:

  • Having the ability to work in teams in culturally and linguistically diverse environments
  • Possessing the ability make use of his/her theoretical knowledge in Linguistics to find appropriate solutions to problems and challenges that involve language in areas such as language planning and policy making, public relations, translation, second language acquisition and speech therapy
  • Managing time efficiently, communicating persuasively and handling technology responsibly in disseminating information
  • Being confident, taking risks and managing work in multiple platforms applying the knowledge he/she gained from the Department
  • Possessing different types of academic and professional skills that cater to both the public and private workforce

A sensitive global citizen:

  • Using linguistic diversity as a platform to create and foster peace, harmony and the coexistence of languages, cultures and communities
  • Advocating for inclusive language and educational policies that guarantee the social and political existence of minorities, marginalized groups and their languages and linguistic practices and supporting initiatives that aim at linguistic de-colonization
  • Fostering loving-kindness, compassion, empathy and patience that would help create responsible global citizens who have high regard for justice, ethics, equity and human rights
  • Conducting themselves as civic-conscious individuals who are more accepting and considerate of other human beings in diverse, multilingual and multi-cultural environments
  • Acting as individuals who are able to respond proactively to human suffering rather than being passive observers

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs)
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Linguistics
Those who successfully complete the BA Special Degree program in Linguistics offered by the Department of Linguistics & English, University of Jaffna will be able to
PEO 01: Identify the issues related to pronunciation, transcription and speech disorders.

PEO 02: Apply the basic techniques of translations, particularly in the Tamil – Sinhala pair and English-Tamil pair.

PEO 03: Apply the linguistic theories and techniques in the bilingual and multilingual context.

PEO 04: Contribute in language planning activities in formulating a national language policy.

PEO 05: Document the regional, social dialects and assist the bilingual / multilingual community.

PEO 06: Create mono lingual, bilingual and multi lingual dictionaries.

PEO 07: Conduct anthropological research through linguistic knowledge on aesthetics, culture, religion language and another anthropological element.

PEO 08: Recognize the speech and language disorders to find linguistic remedies.

PEO 09: Develop the knowledge of traditional grammar through modern linguistic perspectives.

PEO 10: Familiarize the various types of styles in different texts.

PEO 11: Demonstrate the linguistic fields through computer applications.

About
The English Literature (English) curriculum taught by the Department of Linguistics & English at the University of Jaffna includes a wide array of courses in literary studies, language studies and courses that are interdisciplinary in nature where literary studies and language studies intersect with cultural studies and critical theory with specific focus on topics like nationalism, labour, globalization, and gender and sexuality among others.
When the Department of English was set up at the Ceylon University College during British rule, the academic focus of the Department was almost exclusively limited to the literatures written in the English language from the British Isles. In the wake of scholarly and activist attempts to interrogate the role the English language and English literature had played in advancing colonial and neocolonial interests and agendas, English Departments all over the world began to re-envision their academic and social roles and introduced courses with a focus on literatures written in English from the former colonies of Britain. They also showed a keen enthusiasm towards re-reading canonical British literary texts from perspectives informed by the cultural and linguistic dimensions of colonialism where the English language and English literature occupied a central place.
In the latter part of the twentieth-century, the turn towards critical theory animated English studies in novel ways making this field more inter-disciplinary and more attentive to various economic, cultural and socio-political concerns than it was before.
Taking into consideration the importance of understanding the cultural, political, social and economic dimensions of the English language, including its place in the classroom, to the study of English literature in Sri Lanka and with a view to helping the students examine the socio-political goals English, Sinhala and Tamil have served in the island since colonial times, English Departments in the country now teach a number of courses in Linguistics, Language Studies and Translation Studies as well. Their curricula now emphasize that literary studies should go hand in hand with language studies.
In keeping with these developments in English studies in Sri Lanka and the rest of the world, the English Literature (English) curriculum taught at the University of Jaffna now upholds inter-disciplinarity, diversity and social justice in its framing vision. The curriculum focuses not just on the British canon but also American literatures and literatures from formerly colonized locations such as South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. The Department also teaches courses in world literatures and critical theory. The curriculum for the special degree program in English includes several courses in Linguistics and Language Studies as well and cross-lists some of the courses offered by the Linguistics section of the Department of Linguistics & English.
In order to help the graduates of this Department prepare themselves to make a constructive contribution to the teaching of English Literature in the Northern Province and the rest of the country, the Department has decided to offer courses in Teaching English Literature too under its English Literature (English) curriculum.

Graduate Profile

Graduates with a BA special degree in English Literature (English) from the University of Jaffna will have a comprehensive and in-depth textual, theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of English literary and language studies with strong English language proficiency and communication skills. They will possess a comprehensive understanding of the historical development of English literature and literatures written in different varieties of English in such locations as South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the USA. They will also have the ability to analyze the ways in which various social, political, cultural and economic forces have shaped literary production in English in different places in different historical periods and how literature responds to and intervenes in specific socio-political situations. They will have a clear view of the paradigms deployed in literary analysis and be able to analyze literary texts critically bringing in inter-disciplinary approaches and interpret them from various perspectives. The graduates of this program will have a thorough understanding of the political, economic and cultural roles and functions of language, the English language in specific, in today’s society. While possessing the methodological expertise necessary for analyses and research in literary and language studies, they will adhere to professional ethics and be keen in participating in ongoing scholarly conversations in their areas of academic interest.

A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) graduate in English Literature (English) of the University of Jaffna will be
Academically excellent:

  • Possessing a sound textual and theoretical knowledge with strong English language fluency and communication skills
  • Having the ability to read carefully, think critically, and distinguish between and synthesize ideas in order to generate new knowledge
  • Having the ability to conduct in-depth, inter-disciplinary research on topics in the discipline of English Literature
  • Showing a keen interest in archival research
  • Engaging in public discussions in ways that make his/her scholarship meaningful and relevant to society at-large

Employable and able to contribute to regional and national development:

  • Possessing the qualities necessary to work in harmony in diverse cultural environments and share knowledge
  • Being adaptable, flexible and work in teams to achieve targets
  • Being confident, taking risks and managing work in multiple platforms applying the knowledge they gained from the Department
  • Possessing different types of academic and professional skills that cater to both the public and private workforce
  • Having the ability to identify and discuss regional and national issues that hinder development at the regional and national levels

A sensitive global citizen:

  • Possessing the ability to respond to literature with a great sense of sensitivity and responsibility, and reflect such sensitivity in responding to everyday events
  • Fostering loving-kindness, compassion, empathy and patience that would help create responsible global citizens who have high regard for justice, ethics, equity and human rights
  • Conducting themselves as civic-conscious individuals who are more accepting and considerate of other human beings in diverse and multi-cultural environments
  • Developing their critical thinking skills and sensitizing themselves to understand the multi-faceted nature of phenomena and the complexities that arise in making value judgements
  • Acting as individuals who are able to respond proactively to human suffering rather than being passive observers

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs)
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature

Those who successfully complete the BA Special Degree program in English Literature offered by the Department of Linguistics & English, University of Jaffna will be able to

  1.  demonstrate a thorough understanding of the various traditions of English Literature such as the British canon, postcolonial literatures, transnational literatures and American literature.
  2. close-read literary texts by focusing on the thematic, formal, structural, linguistic and stylistic aspects of those texts.
  3. provide insightful analysis of the literary texts they study by situating them in the social, political, cultural and economic milieus in which they were produced.
  4. generate new-fangled interpretations of literary texts using different theoretical and analytical frameworks.
  5. write scholarly essays and presentations on literary texts, films, theatrical productions and other cultural objects such as advertisements and billboards in line with appropriate academic conventions.
  6. demonstrate clear understanding of the socio-cultural, political and economic roles language plays with specific focus on the English language.
  7. disseminate the research they conduct via appropriate methods.
  8. give constructive feedback on the work done by their peers in the field of English studies.
  9. put literary studies and language studies in conversation with other disciplines and fields of study.
  10. deploy literature as a way of intervening in social situations that are discriminatory, exploitative and exclusionary.
  11. initiate processes that aim towards strengthening pluralist, multi-cultural values by giving a central place to literature and language in those processes.
  12. teach English literature and English language at the high-school and tertiary levels.

Syllabus