Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description

Media Language

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
KSK_162
Branch of Science
Media and communications
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Communication Science
LQF
Level 6
Study Type And Form
Full-Time; Part-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Structure Unit Manager
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

To characterise the language of Latvian media by providing an impartial analysis of the linguistic changes taking place from the sociolinguistic point of view.

Preliminary Knowledge

Centralised examination in Latvian passed when graduating from the secondary school.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.• to characterise modern media development processes and their driving forces; • to analyse the link of language to ideological and political processes; • to understand peculiarities and styles of the publicist style on the basis of the Latvian media language; • to find one’s way around situational and social rules of language use.

Skills

1.• to use Latvian in accordance with media formats; • to understand the deepest regularities in language use in media and in the public environment; • to evaluate and analyse media language quality; • to use language corresponding to specific media genres in own creative work; • to use different layers of language in creating different content.

Competences

1.• to evaluate real media language using information for the creation of own professional texts; • sense of responsibility for the written text (word), its suitability and compliance, as well as possible reaction to it; • critical and self-critical attitude to the media language used in practice, its manifestations (styles and their suitability in a situational context); • responsible, knowledge-based language use in accordance with media format.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Individual work

-
-
Use of knowledge obtained at lectures and seminars in practical language use, by creating stories and writing own publications. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Examination

-
-
The final mark depends on the written assignments submitted during the course, practical tasks and the exam. For the day department: 3 written assignments (30%) and the radio report (10%); practical tasks or test (20%); 60% in total; the exam (40%) = 100% in total. For the correspondence department: 2 written assignments (40% ) and the radio report (20%); 60% in total; the exam 40% = 100% in total.
2.

Examination

-
-
The final mark depends on the written assignments submitted during the course, practical tasks and the exam. For the day department: 3 written assignments (30%) and the radio report (10%); practical tasks or test (10%); 50% in total; the exam (50%) = 100% in total. For the correspondence department: 2 written assignments (30%) and the radio report (10%); practical assignments or test (10%); 50% in total; the exam 50% = 100% in total.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Introduction to the course. An overview of the history of the language of modern Latvian media: linguistic changes during the years of the restoration of independence.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

A general overview of media language: borrowings, euphemisms, dysphemisms, slang (including vulgarisms), fixed associations (precedent texts), Germanisms, barbarisms, neologisms, types of wordplay etc. The impact of political, economic and social processes on media language.Linguistic research: general linguistics, lexicology, morphology, phonetics, syntax, phraseology, stylistics, onomastics; text analysis.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

The characterisation of the Latvian language in the context of the languages of the world. The linguistic situation in Latvia. Latvian language as a topic in mass media.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Codified/uncodified norms. Literary Latvian or the literary standard of Latvian and trends of language democratisation and globalisation. Latvian orthography: a historical overview of the language standardisation practices in the 20th and the 21st century.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Understanding of media language: language standardisation, errors or diversity of expression. Practical advice on how to enrich one’s linguistic expression and eliminate language deficiencies: analysis of the most common grammar, syntax and stylistic errors.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Proper nouns. Orthography (capitalisation). Abbreviations and initialisms. Rendering of proper names (general overview).
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of the first written assignment (comments, explanations, discussion).
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of the second written assignment (comments, explanations, discussion).
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of the third submitted article (comments, explanations, discussion). In the second half of the lesson – practical exercise in rendering proper nouns in Latvian. Normative regulation and language practice.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of texts (edition, program, website: comments, explanations, discussion). Practical exercise: rendering of proper nouns in Latvian (part 2 – continuation of seminar 3)
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of texts (edition, program, website: comments, explanations, discussion). The most common mistakes in the use of punctuation marks. Slide show, discussion; after the discussion the practical work.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Individual presentations: a practical radio report. Listening, questions, discussion on the presented material, as well as the material covered during the workshops over the whole term.
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)
PART-TIME
Part 1
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Introduction to the course. An overview of the history of the language of modern Latvian media: linguistic changes during the years of the restoration of independence.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

A general overview of media language: borrowings, euphemisms, dysphemisms, slang (including vulgarisms), fixed associations (precedent texts), Germanisms, barbarisms, neologisms, types of wordplay etc. The impact of political, economic and social processes on media language.Linguistic research: general linguistics, lexicology, morphology, phonetics, syntax, phraseology, stylistics, onomastics; text analysis.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

The characterisation of the Latvian language in the context of the languages of the world. The linguistic situation in Latvia. Latvian language as a topic in mass media.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Codified/uncodified norms. Literary Latvian or the literary standard of Latvian and trends of language democratisation and globalisation. Latvian orthography: a historical overview of the language standardisation practices in the 20th and the 21st century.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Understanding of media language: language standardisation, errors or diversity of expression. Practical advice on how to enrich one’s linguistic expression and eliminate language deficiencies: analysis of the most common grammar, syntax and stylistic errors.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of the first written assignment (comments, explanations, discussion).
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Practical analysis of the second written assignment (comments, explanations, discussion).
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Individual presentations: a practical radio report. Listening, questions, discussion on the presented material, as well as the material covered during the workshops over the whole term.
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
16 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Baltiņš, M.; Druviete, I. Ceļavējš cilvēku ciltij. Valoda sabiedrībā. Rīga : Latviešu valodas aģentūra, 2017

2.

Normatīvo aktu projektu izstrādes rokasgrāmata. Rīga : Valsts kanceleja 2016 (pieejama elektroniski)

3.

Tiesību aktu tulkošanas rokasgrāmata. Rīga: VVC 2021 ( pieejama elektroniski)

Additional Reading

1.

Latviešu lingvistiskā attieksme: vērtības, pārliecība, prakse. Rīga, LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2021.

2.

Džozefs, Dž. Ē. Valoda un politika. Rīga : Zinātne 2008.

3.

Valodas prakse: vērojumi un ieteikumi. Rīga: Latviešu valodas aģentūra (iznāk katru gadu kopš 2005.gada)

4.

Vārds un tā pētīšanas aspekti. LiepU zinātnisko rakstu krājums (katru gadu kopš 1996.)

5.

Valoda dažādu kultūru kontekstā. DU zinātnisko rakstu krājums (katru gadu kopš 2000.)

6.

Vēstuļu rakstīšanas vadlīnijas. Valsts kanceleja; 2017. (pieejams elektroniski)

Other Information Sources

1.

letonika (http://www.letonika.lv/) personvarduatveide.lv https://www.valodaskonsultacijas.lv/

2.

Valsts valodas centra tīmekļvietne (vvc.gov.lv) Latviešu valodas aģentūras tīmekļvietne (valoda.lv), Latvijas Nacionālais terminoloģijas portāls (termini.gov.lv), elektroniskā vārdnīca tezaurs.lv

3.

svešvārdu vārdnīcas, Latviešu valodas pareizrakstības un pareizrunas vārdnīca, Valsts valodas centra Latviešu valodas ekspertu komisijas pieņemtie lēmumi