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Introduction

Contact Info

Head of Department:

Ms. Samreth Sothea, MA
Tel: (855) 11874655
Email: samreth.sothea@rupp.edu.khsamrethsothea@yahoo.com
Office: Room # 219B, Campus I

   Linguistics is a science subject which study human languages including its regulations, structures, and functions.

   The degree of Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics is a four-year period program which provides students with a knowledge and understanding of general Linguistics including theories and applications. Students will learn how to describe, analyse, compare, and explain all aspects of language issues by focusing more on Khmer Language. Furthermore, students know how to apply language theories in the practical way in their study, research, and work.

   Upon completion, graduates are qualified to work in various fields both government and non-government sectors including teaching languages, researching in language, culture, and communication, translating, interpreting, compiling language data, making dictionary, publishing, language advising as well as those in the fields of journalism, mass media, particularly where linguistics is required.

About

   Department of Linguistics was created in 2002 under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science of Royal University of Phnom Penh. First, department offered the master program which called the Master of Art in Linguistics that had cooperated with universities in French. Currently, department can operate by its own budget and technics since 2010 and we are successfully use Khmer language as the main language in the program with our own resource both material and humans with high experience.

Admission

   Admission to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics is administered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, based on sound results in the High School Certificate subjects of Khmer Literature and English.

Assessment

   Students are assessed based on presentations, written assignments and/or reports, and examinations. Some courses require students to do fieldwork; in this case, students are expected to present a field research report to class as a partial assessment. Apart from course work, an internship in any institutions is important aspect of the course.

Resources

   Linguistics staff and students have access to the university’s general libraries, including the Hun Sen Library at campus I, the RUPP Library at campus II, as well as the internal departmental library. Furthermore, linguistics staff have amassed many relevant books, using funding from the APA budget, as personal research tools. These books can be made available to students by appointment.

Curriculum

Philosophical Foundation Program

Note: Students are required to complete a first year of foundation for all degrees. For more information about the foundation year course, please refer to page “Department of Foundation Studies.”

The code a(b-c) indicates the number of credits and study load. In this example: “a”= number of credits, “b”= number of lecture hours, and “c”= number of tutorial or practical hours.

*Note: English language, taught through the ELSU, runs on a variable course code system, ENG001-ENG400 (Elective) depending on student’s skill level.

Total Credits: 138 (Including Foundation Year)
Year One
Semester One
18 Hours / WeekCodes16 Credits
Cambodian HistoryFGHI012 (2-0)
Introduction to PhilosophyFGPP012 (1-2)
Fundamentals of SociologyFGSO012 (2-0)
DemographyFGGE012 (2-0)
Fundamentals of English*4 (2-4)
Introduction to LinguisticsFGLI014 (4-0)
Semester Two
Khmer CivilizationFGKL022 (2-0)
StatisticsFGMA032 (2-0)
Fundamentals of EnvironmentFGES022 (2-0)
General PsychologyFGPS012 (2-0)
Fundamentals of English*4 (2-4)
History of Khmer LinguisticsFGLI024 (4-0)
Year Two
Semester One
19 Hours / WeekCodes19 Credits
English III*General Education4(6-0)
Writing Skills IHLI2013 (3-0)
Reading SkillsHLI2023 (3-0)
Study of Middle KhmerHLI2033 (3-0)
Khmer GrammarHLI2043 (3-0)
Folk LinguisticsHLI2053 (3-0)
Semester Two
English IV*General Education4 (6-0)
Writing Skills IIHLI2063 (3-0)
Speaking SkillsHLI2073 (3-0)
Study of Angkorian and Pre-Angkorian KhmerHLI2083 (3-0)
Study of Pali and Sanskrit Words in KhmerHLI2093 (3-0)
Linguistic TheoryHLI2103 (3-0)
Year Three
Semester One
19 Hours / WeekCodes19 Credits
English V*General Education4(6-0)
Professional WritingHLI3013 (3-0)
Discourse AnalysisHLI3023 (3-0)
Language and TranslationHLI3033 (3-0)
Language and CultureHLI3043 (3-0)
PhoneticsHLI3053 (3-0)
Semester Two
English VI*General Education4 (6-0)
Literary LinguisticsHLI3063 (3-0)
Methodology of ResearchHLI3073 (3-0)
Research WritingHLI3083 (3-0)
Methodology of Teaching Khmer to ForeignersHLI3093 (3-0)
PhonologyHLI3103 (3-0)
Year Four
Semester One
15 Hours / WeekCodes15 Credits
PsycholinguisticsHLI4013 (3-0)
Introduction to Applied LinguisticsHLI4023 (3-0)
SyntaxHLI4033 (3-0)
LexicologyHLI4043 (3-0)
SemanticsHLI4053 (3-0)
Semester Two
SociolinguisticsHLI4063 (3-0)
Corpus LinguisticsHLI4073 (3-0)
Comparative LinguisticsHLI4083 (3-0)
Philosophy of languageHLI4093 (3-0)
InternshipHLI4103 (3-0)
Or Thesis 15

Course Description

Year I/ Semester I

FELI01 – Introduction to Linguistics

Mr. Chhan Kimsoeun

   This course introduces students to general linguistics, the systematic study of human language. Drawing on data from a range of languages, it will examine the sound patterns of language (phonetics and phonology), words and word formation (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), meaning (semantics), and language in context (pragmatics). Emphasis will be placed on methods of linguistic analysis to solve problems in phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Additional topics may include language acquisition, linguistic variation and/or historical linguistics.

Year I/ Semester II

FGLI02 – History of Khmer Linguistics

Mr. Van Vy / Dr. Non Dara

   This course will enable students to gain more understanding on evolutionary of Khmer linguistics through works of both Khmer and foreigners, which has been done on analyzing Khmer language so far. Those include the works of Iev Keus, Pov Oum, Sieng Khandy, Khiev Choum, George Maspèro, Pov Saveros, Gorgoniyev, and so on. After finishing this course, students will be able know how to analyze Khmer language and viewpoints of those writers.

Year II/ Semester I

HLI201 – Writing Skills I

Ms. Samreth Sothea/ Mr. Sam Engleang

   This course will enable students to gain more basic skills for more accurate writing through everyday practice. After finishing this course, students will be skilful and become professional in writing. In this course, students will analyze word-formation, method of reading; learn to form word into sentences, paragraphs, and texts. Moreover, students will know some writing methods and structures for sentences, paragraphs, essay.

HLI202 – Reading Skills

Dr. Mok Sarom

   This course will help to strengthen students’ capacity in reading books and other articles in academic way, especially know how to synthesize authors’ idea, writing style, important idea and analyzing texts.

HLI203 – Study of Middle Khmer

Mr. Vong Sotheara

  For this course, students will learn about language and Khmer script which written on stone in Post-Angkorian era. Materials include manual scripts, texts, and other documents which noted in French colonial time. Students will learn old Khmer, toponym and anthroponym through inscriptions and comparing orthography, writing stylistics, and analyse script revolution, language and meaning of those texts.

HLI204 – Khmer Grammar

Dr. Non Dara/ Mr. Van Vy

   In this course, students undertake in-depth study of Khmer grammar and general theories of grammar. Students will learn to analyse word formations, word part of speech (such as Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Preposition, Conjunction, Adverb, and Interjection), functions of words in sentences, sentence structures by basing on linguistic theories. After finishing this course, students will develop their ability to analyse and properly use Khmer orthography, words, sentences, and rules.

HLI205 – Folk Linguistics

Mr. Heng Kimvan

   This course strengthens students’ understanding about language using such as words, phrases, sentences, and expressions in telling and composing folk tales according to characteristics of folk literature. Besides, students are able to make new literary work by themselves. Students will learn some important points including expression, social background, time and setting of story, influence of language on telling and composing folk tale, techniques of using voice and gesture in telling folk tale.

Year II/ Semester II

HLI206 – Writing Skills II

Mr. Nop Phan

   In this course, students develop their ability to compose different type of literary works such as tale, fable, short story, and novel. Students learn how to write legal documents or legal letters including administrative letter, personal letter, invitation letter, contracts etc. Additionally, students learn how to write business advertisement. Furthermore, students also learn how to write report and meeting minutes too.

HLI207 – Speaking Skills

Dr. Oum Ravy

   This course helps students to be skilful in group speaking, debating, negotiating, marketing speaking, consulting, and discussing with clear and strong evidences. Students will learn important methods in speaking, theory of speech acts, techniques in overcoming nervousness, way of organizing information for presentation in class and public, and techniques in using voice and gesture in speaking.

HLI208 – Study of Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian

Mr. Vong Sotheara

   This course will enable students to learn Khmer script and language which written on stone (inscription) in both Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian era. Students will learn to read and translate old Khmer. They also learn to analyse texts including texts’ meaning, vocabularies, sentences, structures, toponym, and anthroponym, social events, language change, custom and belief, and management through inscriptions. After finishing this course, students will be able to analyse script revolutions, language, and social events by using various approaches.

HLI209 – Pali and Sanskrit Words in Khmer

Mr. Hun Chhunteng

   The course intends to enable students to study Pali and Sanskrit base on linguistics, grammar, and history. The course allows students to explore the development of Pali and Sanskrit in Khmer. It also emphasises on Khmerization on those borrowed words in term of sound and orthography. Word formation by using Pali-Sanskrit elements is one of the most important aspects of the course. Thus, students will know clearly about Pali-Sanskrit loan words which broadly use Khmer since the old time, especially technical terms which have been used in most fields.

HLI210 – Linguistics Theory

Mr. Chhan Kimsoeun

   This course enables students to know more about different theories in linguistics such as structuralism, formalism, functionalism, universal grammar and other modern theories. Students will learn some significant theories of prominent linguists such as Ferdinand de Saussure, Leonard Bloomfiel, Louis Jamslave, Noam Chomsky, Mark Holiday and so on. After finishing this course, students will understand about foundation and basic concepts of general linguistic theories, language revolution, methods in language study, and how to analyse language base on specific theory.

Year III/ Semester I

HLI301 – Professional Writing

Mr. Ith Sothea

   This course has been designed specifically for developing writing skills necessary for professional writing such as report, research proposal, newspapers, business advertisement, fiction, and non-fiction. In addition, the course also includes the way of sellecting and using vocabularies and sentences in those texts.

HLI302 – Discourse Analysis

Dr. Ouk Diven

   This course focuses on lanuage use beyond the boundaries of a sentence/utterance, and interrelation between language and soiciety by analysing ‘naturally occurring’ language use, not invented examples. Discourse analysis aims at revealing socio-psychological characteristics of a person/persons rather than text structure. Student will learn how to analyse discourse in writing, conversation, communicative event, speech and so on.

HLI303 – Language and Translation

Mr. Chan Sophal

   Language and Translation provides students with knowledge and understanding of relationship between linguistics and translation. Linguistic theories will be used to apply in language translation to ensure better translation work. This course helps students to understand basic concepts of macro and micro linguistics, important theories in translation (document translation and interpretation), translation methodology which refer to aspect of change of language and culture. Moreover, students will practice translating Khmer to English and English to Khmer by practical methodology and theories effectively.

HLI304 – Language and Culture

Mr. Ith Sothea

   This course will focus on relation between language and culture. Lessons will emphasize on relation of anthropological linguistics and socio-linguistics. Students will start from the birth of language and go more further to hypothesis of origin of relation between language and culture. There are different type of topics which related to language usages in society. After finishing this course, students will be able to discover any important questions such as: What is the function of language in society? How is language used to present about the different of individual and gender in society? What is the different of language usages among gender, ethnic group and hierarchy in society?

HLI305 – Phonetics

Ms. Samreth Sothea/ Mr. Chhan Kimsoeun

   This course will provide students to understand about the benefits of general phonetics such as articulatory, acoustics, and auditory phonetics. Students will be able to analyse and practices their knowledge on vowels and consonants in Khmer Language, and they will be able to transcribe Khmer language by using International Phonetics Alphabets. Students will be able to do research on Khmer dialects, ethnic languages in different province of Cambodia.

Year III/ Semester II

HLI306 – Literary Linguistics

Mr. Ken Rangsey

   This course will enable students to analyse language usage in literary works which base on linguistics theories (stylistics). Literary works which will be studied are written in rhyme, and poem. These texts will be analysed base on literary stylistics, imagination, culture, and language through the language usage in the literary works. There are lot of benefits for students when they know about literary stylistics, relation between language and literature.

HLI307 – Methodology of Research

Mr. Sok Serey

   This course intends to provide students with essential research concepts, methodology (both quantitative and qualitative), designs, and analyses. Students will be able to conduct research mainly in the field of linguistics. Students will be able to do research in quantitative or qualitative and able to make hypothesis on their existing data.

HLI308 – Research Writing

Dr. Ouk Diven/ Mr. Sam Engleang

   Research Writing has been designed specifically for academic purpose by helping students in writing research papers. Students will learn how to outline, design, write research papers by using of language, phrase, and sentence properly, know how critic and discuss in scientific way. Besides, students will learn how to use reference and citation by avoiding plagiarizing. After finishing this course, students will be skilful in writing effective proposal research and research paper.

HLI309 – Methodology of Teaching Khmer to Foreigners

Ms. Samreth Sothea/ Ms. Prum Sisaphantha

   This course has been designed to give students methodologies of teaching Khmer to foreigners. Students will study methodologies of teaching in four skills include writing, speaking, reading, listening, and know how to explain vocabularies which related to current and daily usage. They also learn how to instruct foreign students to acquire Khmer language effectively in short period of time. Also, this course will help students knowing how to use teaching material, make lesson plan, make exercise, design test for evaluating level of students, and provide students pedagogical method in teaching.

HLI310 – Phonology

Mr. Penh Soeun

   This course provides students with basic theories of phonology, the system of sound in language. This course focuses on analysing phonemes in particular language. Students will learn some basic theories, differences between phonetics and phonology, process in analysing phonology, characteristic of syllable, and intonation of words in Khmer and other languages too. After finishing this course, students will know to analyse phonology scientifically in a particular language especially Khmer.

Year IV/ Semester I

HLI401 – Psycholinguistics

Mr. Sam Engleang/ Mr. Chhan Kimsoeun

    Psycholinguistics is the course that helps students to understand the relation between language and brain (mind), process of understanding language and language acquistion. It covers the fields of research in Psychology, Linguistics, Neuron Science and Philosophy of language. Students will learn how human acquire a language, how human use language, and how brain related language. After finishing this course, students will be able to understand the relation between language and mind, and will be able to understand language process which is useful in language teaching.

HLI402 – Introduction to Applied Linguistics

Dr. Ouk Diven/ Dr. Mok Sarom

   This course will improve students understanding in teaching and learning second language. Applied Linguistics focuses on understanding the role of language in different working places such as academic, daily life, court and media etc. Students will understand about relation of language and cognition, language and brain, language and knowledge, language and ideology, language and listening, language and speaking, language and technology etc. After finishing this course, students will know about significant principles of linguistics and well apply the theory of teaching and learning language for their research and teaching.

HLI403 – Syntax

Mr. Van Vy / Mr. Chhan Kimsoeun

   Syntax will help improving students’ linguistics capacity in language structure from word, word group, phrase to sentences. Students will learn general theories of syntax including x-bar theories and so on. Besides, students will learn how to analyse word class, function of words in sentences, and especially sentence structures in language, particularly Khmer. After finishing this course, students will be able to analysis words and word clusters, know to categories and using type of sentence clearly, and know each word function clearly in sentence structure.

HLI404 – Lexicology

Dr. Hean Sokhom/ Mr. Ken Rangsey

   This course provides students with theories of lexicology. It focuses formation, meaning, usage of words in languages. Besides, this course also aims to provide the basic knowledge of lexicography (making dictionaries). Students will know about relationship between lexicology and semantics, lexicology and etymology, and so on. After finishing this course, students will be able to analyse language properly especially words, meanings, and dictionary making.

HLI405 – Semantics

Dr. Chan Somnable/ Dr. Non Dara

   This course provides students basic theories of semantics, the science which study meaning human language. Students will learn how to analyse meaning of language in term of words, phrases, sentences, and texts. They will also learn relationship between languages, mind, and real world. Specifically, it focuses on lexical meaning, grammatical meaning, unit of sense, literal and metaphoric meaning etc. After finishing this course, students will be able to analyse meaning of language based on theories they learn.

Year IV/ Semester II

HLI406 – Sociolinguistics

Dr. Hean Sokhom

   This course will instruct students to understand about relationship between language and society, categorizing type of language usage by area, language usage by group and gender, language planning, characteristics of language and characteristics of standards and dialects. Furthermore, students will learn general theories and will be able to use practical theories for field research on dialect and language use in communities.

HLI407 – Corpus Linguistics

Dr. Non Dara

   This course will eable students to gain basic knowledge corpus linguistics by focusing on corpus methods and datas using both documentation form and in electronic form. This course will help students to understand about the way of collecting, entryin, using corpus data, and anlysing those data according to the linguistic theories such as phonology, morphology, lexicology, syntax, sematics and discourse analysis. So, students will completely be skillful in corpusing language usage in society and able to use those data for langauge analysis.

HLI408 – Comparative Linguistics

Mr. Yeang Virakbot/ Mr. Penh Soeun

   This course is designed to give theoretical support in comparing similarities and differeces in language in particular the comparison of related language with a view of reconstructing form of lost languages. Students will learn language change, methods in comparing one language to other, and categorizing of language family in the world. In learning this course, students will gain some basic konwledge on related courses as Semantics, Syntax, Phonetics, and Phnology. Moreover, students will know about language history, various theory for comparing related langauges, categorization of langauge family etc.

HLI409 – Philosophy of Language

Mr. Sam Engleang/ Mr. Van Vy

   This course intends to strengthen students’ knowledge and understanding about nature of language and language usage. This course focuses on the origin of language, nature of language meaning, language usage in society, language cognition, and relationship between language and the fact of language. Students will be able to use various theories in analysing any language issues in philosophical and linguistics aspects.

HLI410 – Internship

   This program will allow students to intern at various work places that related to linguistic fild. Besides, Students are also able to do field research on language usage especially on Khmer, aboriginal ethnic group, ethnic minority communities such as Chinese, Laos, Vietnam, Thai, and others.

Staff

(The number in brackets indicates the year the staff member began teaching at RUPP)

Head of Department :

NoNameDegreePosition
1Ms. Samreth Sothea (1995)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2005 ; Preliminary Masters (Research Methodologies and Practice), RUPP, 1997; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 1995Head of Department
2Mr. Chhan Kimsoeun (2010)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2008 ; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 2003 ; Certificate of Teacher With Higher Education ; NIE, 2004 
3Mr. Van Vy (2014)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2013 ; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 2010 
4Mr. Sam Engleang (2016)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2013 ; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 2010 

Lecturers

NoNameDegree
1Dr. Chan Somnoble (1995)Ph.D. in (Sciences du Language), Universite de Paris X, Nanterre (France), 1998; M.A. in Linguistics, Universite de Paris X, Nanterre (France), 1998, B.A. in French Literature, RUPP, 1995
2Dr. Hean Sokhom (1993)Ph.D. in Linguistics, Russia, 1992 ; M.A. in Linguistics, Academy of Sciences (Russia), 1984
3Dr. Ouk Diven (1998)Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, De La Salle University, The Philippines, 2009 ; M.A. in Linguistics, Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University, Russia, 1997 ; B.A. in Linguistics and Communication, Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University, Russia, 1996
4Dr. Mok Sarom (2015)Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, 2015; M.A. in Applied Linguistics, Buriram Rajabhat University (Thailand) 2010; B.A. in Lao Language and Literature, National University of Lao (Lao) 2007
5Dr. Non Dara (2007)Ph.D. in Linguistics, Paris Diderot University (France), 2014; M.A. in Linguistics, Paris Diderot University (France), 2007, B.A. in French Literature, RUPP, 2005
6Dr. Oum Ravy (1989)Ph.D. in Area Studies, Sophia University (Japan), 2002; M.A. in Area Studies, Sophia University, 1999; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 1989
7Mr. Vong Sotheara (1997)M.A. in Sociology-Anthropology, RUPP, 2006; B.A. in History, RUPP, 1996; Faculty of Pedagogy (Phnom Penh), 1997
8Mr. Ith Sothea (1998)M.A. in Sociology and Anthropology, RUPP, 2006; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 1996
9Mr. Hun Chhunteng (2013)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2014; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 2011
10Mr. Nop Phan (2016)M.A. in Public Administration, Royal University of Law and Economic, 2013; B.A. in Mathematics, RUPP, 1995
11Mr. Heng Kimvan (1992)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2013; B.A. in Literature and Linguistics, Pedagogical University of Vientiane, 1992
12Mr. Yeang Virakbot (1996)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2006; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 1995
13Mr. Ken Rangsey (2010)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2009; Certificate of Teacher Training (Pedagogy), 2000; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 2007
14Mr. Penh Soeun (2010)M.A. in Linguistics, RUPP, 2009; B.A. in Khmer Literature, RUPP, 2007
15Mr. Chan Sophal (1998)M.A. in Education, University of Hawaii (USA), 2004; B.A. in English Literature, RUPP, 1998

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Department of Linguistics