How Can I Effectively Teach The Nuances Of AUI's Ergative-absolutive Syntax To Intermediate-level Students, Particularly In Contexts Where The Verb Is In The Third Person Singular And The Object Is A Non-human Animate Noun, While Avoiding Overreliance On Calques From More Familiar Indo-European Languages?

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To effectively teach the nuances of aUI's ergative-absolutive syntax to intermediate-level students, particularly when the verb is in the third person singular and the object is a non-human animate noun, follow this structured approach:

1. Clear Explanation and Visual Aids

  • Visual Aids: Use diagrams and charts to illustrate the ergative-absolutive system, showing how the ergative case marks the subject of a transitive verb and the absolutive case marks both the subject of an intransitive verb and the object of a transitive verb.
  • Color-Coding: Highlight ergative and absolutive cases in sentences with different colors to aid visual learners.

2. Practical Examples and Exercises

  • Example Sentences: Create sentences in aUI with third person singular verbs and non-human animate objects, such as "The dog (ergative) eats the cat (absolutive)."
  • Comparative Exercises: Compare aUI structures with other languages without direct calques, e.g., "The dog chases the cat" in aUI vs. English.

3. Interactive Activities

  • Role-Playing: Have students create and act out sentences using ergative and absolutive cases.
  • Group Work: Assign tasks to identify cases in given sentences, promoting collaborative learning.

4. Focus on Function

  • Emphasize the functional approach, explaining that aUI focuses on "who does what to whom," rather than traditional subject-object roles.

5. Authentic Materials

  • Use stories or dialogues in aUI to provide context and show natural usage of syntax.

6. Gradual Building

  • Start with simple intransitive sentences, then progress to transitive ones, introducing the ergative case after the absolutive.

7. Feedback and Practice

  • Provide prompt correction of mistakes and regular practice exercises for application.

8. Technology Integration

  • Utilize apps or online tools for interactive exercises and quizzes.

9. Cultural Context

  • Discuss the linguistic history and cultural significance of aUI's syntax to enhance interest and understanding.

10. Assessment and Encouragement

  • Use continuous assessment, including formative and summative methods, to monitor progress.
  • Encourage creative writing, such as short stories, to apply learning.

11. Addressing Pitfalls

  • Explicitly address common mistakes, such as applying Indo-European structures, and provide correction strategies.

12. Resources and Flashcards

  • Develop flashcards with example sentences for self-quizzing and active recall.

By following this structured, varied, and engaging approach, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of aUI's ergative-absolutive syntax, avoiding overreliance on familiar language structures.