COURSES IN LINGUISTICS
1. Introductory Linguistics
07F, 08S, 08F, 09S: 12
An introduction to the scientific description of human language. The course teaches methods of analyzing languages’ sound systems (phonology), word structure (morphology), sentence patterns (syntax), and systems of meaning (semantics and pragmatics). Some important implications of linguistics for the study of human cognition and cultural behavior will be discussed. This course is a prerequisite for all majors in linguistics.
Open to all classes. Dist: QDS. Ernst, Chitoran.
6. Languages of the Pacific
09W: D.F.S.P. (New Zealand)
An introduction to the linguistics of the Pacific Islands (Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia), Australia and New Guinea. The areas covered include: principles of historical change, the social use of language, oral literature and the organization of linguistic systems of sound, meaning and grammar. Pidgins and Creoles are explored, as is the interaction of language with cultural institutions and conceptual systems. WCult: NW.
7. First-Year Seminar in Linguistics
Consult special listings
8. The Structure of Maori
08W, 09W: D.F.S.P. (New Zealand)
This course is an introduction to the structure of the Maori language. Emphasis is given to the morphology and syntax of basic Maori clause structure. This course is taught by a member of the Department of Maori Studies at the University of Auckland.
9. Spoken Maori
08W: D.F.S.P. (New Zealand)
This course is an introduction to spoken Maori. Emphasis is given to the phonetic structure of Maori and the acquisition of oral and aural skills in the language. This course is taught by a member of the Department of Maori Studies at the University of Auckland.
10. Language Acquisition (Identical to Education 58 and Psychology 52)
08W: 10A
Human language is one of the most spectacular of the brain’s cognitive capacities, one of the most powerful instruments in the mind’s tool kit for thought, and one of the most profound means we as a species use in social, emotional, and cultural communications. Yet the break-neck speed and seemingly “effortless” way that young children acquire language remain its most miraculous characteristic. We will discover the biological capacities and the important social, family, and educational factors that, taken together, make this feat possible and establish the basic facts of language acquisition, involving children’s babbling, phonology, early vocabulary, morphology, syntax, semantics, and discourse knowledge, as well as their early gestural and pragmatic competence. Prevailing theoretical explanations and research methods will be explored. We will dispel myths of how bilingual children acquire two languages from birth. We will leave our hearing-speaking modality and explore the world of language acquisition in total silence-regarding the acquisition of natural signed languages-as innovative lens into the factors that are most key in acquiring all language. Critically, we will evaluate the efficacy of how language is presently taught to young children in schools in light of the facts of human language acquisition.
Open to all classes. Dist: SOC. Nelson.
11. Topics in Linguistics
07F: 2
In 07F, Writing Systems. History and structure of writing systems. Logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic writing. Decipherment. Cuneiform, hieroglyphs, Semitic and European alphabets, Devanagari, Chinese characters, Hangul, kana, Mesoamerican scripts. Spoken vs. written modalities of language. Social and psychological aspects of literacy.
Open to all classes. Dist: SOC. Pulju.
17. Sociolinguistics
08W, 09W: 10A
The field of sociolinguistics deals with the ways in which language serves to define and maintain group identity and social relationships among speakers. In this course we will consider such topics as regional and social variation in language; the relationship of language and ethnicity, sex and gender; language and social context; pidgin and creole languages; language endangerment and the fate of minority languages in the US and other countries; language planning, multiculturalism and education.
Open to all classes. Dist: SOC; WCult: CI. Ernst.
18. History of the English Language (Identical to English 18)
08W, 08X: 10
The development of English as a spoken and written language as a member of the Indo-European language family, from Old English (Beowulf), Middle English (Chaucer), and Early Modern English (Shakespeare), to contemporary American English. Topics may include some or all of the following: the linguistic and cultural reasons for ‘language change,’ the literary possibilities of the language, and the political significance of class and race.
Open to all classes. Dist: SOC. Pulju.
20. Experimental Phonetics
08S: 10
This course is an introduction to speech physiology, articulation, and the acoustic analysis of speech. Students will acquire knowledge of the experimental and computational techniques that are relevant for investigating the production of speech. This includes equipment functioning, data collection and recording techniques, techniques for analyzing speech acoustics, analysis of data from a variety of languages.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: TAS. Chitoran.
21. Introduction to Phonology
09S: 10
Phonology is the study of the system underlying selection and use of sounds in languages of the world. The course will introduce students to investigation of these topics from the perspective of recent theories of phonology. Readings, class discussions, and homework problems will provide a basis for understanding the origin, role, and uses of sound systems in spoken languages.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: QDS. Chitoran.
22. Syntax
08F: 2
An introduction to the formal analysis of grammatical structure. The course aims to familiarize the student with Principles and Parameters Theory (PPT), the theoretical framework which currently dominates the field of syntax in North America. At the end of the class, we will review recent revisions to the theory, which is now referred to as the Minimalist Program.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: QDS. The staff.
23. Semantics and Pragmatics
08S: 2
An investigation of ‘meaning’ in language: word meaning, sentence meaning and its relation to syntactic structure, and the role of both linguistic and extra-linguistic context.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: QDS. Ernst.
24. Discourse Analysis
09S: 2
Discourse analysis examines linguistic structure that exist beyond the sentence level. In this course we will consider the structures of naturally occurring spontaneous speech (such as conversations, interviews, oral narratives) and those in written text. Special attention is given to the global priorities of connected speech and writing, including mechanisms of coherence and cohesion. Other topics include narrative structures, new and old information, topicalization, foregrounding and backgrounding, and the methods of conversational analysis and variation analysis.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: SOC. The staff.
25. Typology
07F: 2A 09W: 2
This course is an introduction to the field of language typology. We begin by exploring the core assumptions and methods of the discipline, and by reviewing typologies based on word order and morphology. Then, we examine a variety of grammatical categories and constructions including tense/aspect, case, relative, clauses, serial verbs, and switch-reference. Throughout the course we will also consider the sorts of explanations which have been put forth to account for typological patterns.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: SOC. Ernst.
26. Morphology
08W: 2 09S: 2A
Morphology is the study of word structure and word-formation processes, and how these interact with phonology, syntax, and the lexicon.
This course focuses on analyzing morphological phenomena in a wide range of typologically diverse languages. Topics to be addressed include the place of word formation in relation to phonological and syntactic phenomena, as well as the contribution of morphological analysis to our understanding of lexical processing. We will consider the history of morphological theory in generative grammar, with special attention to recent approaches, including Distributed Morphology.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Dist: QDS. Peterson.
27. Historical Linguistics
09W: 12
An introduction to historical linguistics and the comparative method. Linguistic change on all levels (phonetic/phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic) will be studied, with special attention to the problems of historical reconstruction. The course will investigate families in general, with emphasis on the Indo-European languages.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1 or Linguistics 18. Dist: QDS. The staff.
35. Field Methods
07F, 08F: 10A
This course provides an overview of issues that arise in collecting language data in the field. We will examine techniques used in the gathering and analysis of data and practical problems that confront the fieldworker.
Prerequisites: Linguistics 21 and one other course in the 20’s. Dist: QDS. Peterson.
50. Special Topics in Linguistics
07F: 10A 08W: 2A, 12 08F: 10A 09W: 11
In 07F and 08F, Discourse, Culture and Identity in Asia and the Middle East (Identical to Asian and Middle East Languages and Literatures 17). This course introduces theories of discourse, communication and sociolinguistics and illustrates how Asian and Middle Eastern cultures employ language to construct and reflect values, identities and institutions, to negotiate relationships, and to perform actions (such as ending a phone call, apologizing, worshipping and writing a scientific paper). Particular attention will be paid to uses of orality and literacy, to gender and ethnicity, and to the social and material contexts in which language and literature operate.
Open to all classes. Dist: SOC or INT; WCult: NW. Glinert.
In 08W at 2A, Languages of South and South East Asia. This course will survey aspects of the current linguistic environment of the complex South and Southeast Asian regions and examine the historical and hypothesized prehistoric events leading up to this state of affairs. Topics to be addressed include: geographical position and genealogical classification for languages; sound and grammatical systems; writing systems; sociolinguistic issues (e.g., politeness, stylistic variation) in different communities; language as a marker of ethnic identity; language policies of regional governments; language endangerment.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1. Peterson.
In 08W at 12 and 09W, The Brazilian Amazon and Multilingualism (Identical to Anthropology 50.3 and Latin American and Caribbean Studies 51). This course examines multilingualism as an anthropological object through the comparison of two indigenous Amazonian “multilingual culture areas,” or social systems where many languages coexist in networks of alliance and shared cultural patterns. We explore mythology, kinship and marriage, and the history of contact in connection to language in these sites. We also look at the politics of language identity and indigenous rights in contemporary Brazil. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Ball.
80. Seminar in Linguistics
08S: 10A 09S: 12
In 08S, Usage-based Models of Language. This seminar will focus on a relatively new alternative to the generative paradigm in linguistic theory. Generative grammar assumes a genetically hardwired and cross-linguistically uniform language acquisition device to account for our ability to acquire and use language. Rejecting this notion, usage-based models seek to demonstrate that ‘grammar’ emerges from the aggregate of linguistic usage events experienced by speakers. The seminar will consider the consequences of this approach for various sub-domains of linguistic theory.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 1
85. Independent Study and Research
All terms: Arrange
This course offers qualified students of linguistics the opportunity to pursue work on a topic of special interest through an individually designed program.
Requires permission of the instructor and the Chair.
86. Honors Research.
All terms: Arrange
87. Honors Thesis.
All terms: Arrange
Linguistics 86 and 87 consist of independent research and writing on a selected topic under the supervision of a Program member who acts as advisor. Open to honors majors in Linguistics. Permission of the thesis advisor and the Chair required.
COURSES IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE
2. Cognition (Identical to, and described under, Psychology 28)
08S, 09S: 2
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Computer Science 5. Dist: SOC. Kelley.
44. Artificial Intelligence (Identical to, and described under, Computer Science 44)
08W: 10 09W: Arrange
Prerequisite: Computer Science 23 and 25. Dist: TAS. The staff.
85. Independent Study and Research
All terms: Arrange
This course offers qualified students of cognitive science the opportunity to pursue work on a topic of special interest through an individually designed program.
Requires permission of the instructor and the Chair.
86. Honors Research
All terms: Arrange
87. Honors Thesis
All terms: Arrange
Cognitive Science 86 and 87 consist of independent research and writing on a selected topic under the supervision of a Program member who acts as advisor. Open to honors majors in Cognitive Science. Permission of the thesis advisor and the Chair required.