Syllabus for COM-339



The Story of Human Language examines how language is created, acquired, and utilized. Topics examined in this course include the origin of language, differences between animal and human language, sound and word formation, language acquisition, verbal and nonverbal utilization, and its regional, social and cultural variations. These topics are fundamental to a greater understanding of human language and its use and origins. Lastly, this course provides an essential foundation for advanced courses in linguistics.



After completing this course, you should be able to:

  1. Identify how animal language differs from human language
  2. Describe how sounds are created and articulated
  3. Describe how language is learned and acquired
  4. Demonstrate how meaning is conveyed in nonverbal and written language
  5. Describe how humans first started using language
  6. Explain the origins of language in terms of its social, physical, tool-making, and genetic source         
  7. Recognize the articulation of consonants and vowels in tongue position and placement
  8. Compare and contrast verbal and written language
  9. Compare and contrast the major changes from Indo-European to Modern English
  10. Present ways in which language varies by regional, social, and cultural influences
  11. Identify the cognitive abilities which led to the development of human language
  12. Discuss the distinctions between communicative and informative signals in human and animal language
  13. Explain what verbal and nonverbal clues listeners use for understanding
  14. Use concrete examples to demonstrate the etymology of how language evolves into Common usage
  15. Use examples to demonstrate the differences between the language disorders of Broca’s, Wernicke’s, and Conduction aphasia
  16. Discuss the impact that culture plays in Linguistic Determinism




The Story of Human Language is a three-credit online course, consisting of four modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and assignments. Module titles are listed below.



Consult the Course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Discussion Forums

The Story of Human Language requires you to participate in four graded discussion forums worth 5 points each, or for a total of 20 percent of your course grade. Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation.

Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful. Deadlines for posting discussion threads are given in the Course Calendar.

Written Assignments

You are required to complete a total of seven written assignments on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. Your written assignments for this course consist of:

Details about the study questions and short essays are contained in the modules of which they are part.  Details about the research paper can be found in the Final Project section of the course. Due dates for all of these assignments can be found in the Course Calendar.  

Midterm Examination

You are required to take a proctored midterm examination. The midterm exam is two hours long and covers all topics and material from Modules 1–2 of the course. It consists of  twenty-six multiple choice questions and four essay questions based on the textbook readings. The midterm exam is valued at 15 percent of your final grade.


Exams are administered within the course Web site. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of your midterm and final exam weeks.

Statement about Cheating



Final Project

You are required to produce a Final Project in the form of a research paper and submit it at the end of the semester. This paper, which you will put together in three stages, should examine an aspect or theory of human language that you will cover in this course.

Details about your research paper can be found in the Final Project section of the course Web site. Due dates associated with this assignment can be found in the Course Calendar.  


Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:































Below 60



First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:





Academic Dishonesty









Examples of Unintentional Plagiarism

When to Quote and When to Paraphrase

Writing Assistance at Smarthinking

Originality Report Checking at Turnitin

Disciplinary Process for Plagiarism




Possible sanctions include:
