LING 1526 First-Year Seminar: The Linguistics of Constructed Languages

What's "wrong" with English, or French, or Chinese, or any one of the 6,000+ languages spoken natively by humans today? Why invent a language like Esperanto to be a common tongue among all people, or invent a "calculus of thought" to "perfectly" express pure meaning? Why is it hard to sound romantic while speaking Klingon? What are the benefits of Lojban's attempt to rid the world of confusion and ambiguity?  This course explores the design of and motivation for constructed languages from a modern linguistic point of view. Constructed languages are those that are the result of some conscious and deliberate design rather than ones occurring naturally. We will explore the different motivations for  language construction, from the desire to create a "perfect language", to fictional world building, to fostering global harmony. In characterizing the different types of invented languages, students will develop familiarity with the basic tools of linguistic theory, focusing on phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Languages analyzed in detail include Klingon, Esperanto, Heptapod B, Lojban, Dothraki, Valyrian, Elvish, and various philosophical languages.  This class is only open to first-year students.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 1536 First Year Seminar:Storming Off and Slaying Serpents: Linguistic Approaches to Comparative Mythology

This course is an introduction to comparative mythology through the lens of linguistic theory. As all of our most ancient mythological narratives are poetic-and given that the production of poetic texts is a fundamentally linguistic enterprise-students will acquire the linguistic skills necessary to fully engage with and analyze the language of ancient mythological texts.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall

LING 1600 Introduction to Linguistics

Language is one of the fundamental capacities of the human species, and there are many interesting and meaningful ways in which it can be studied. This course explores the core components of linguistic theory: speech sounds (phonetics and phonology), word formation (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), and meaning (semantics). It also provides an overview of interdisciplinary ideas and research on how language is acquired and processed, its relation to the mind-brain and to society, and the question of whether the essential properties of language can be replicated outside the human mind (specifically, in chimpanzees or computer programs).

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC BU: BA EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 1995 Linguistics Coursework Completed Abroad

This course is for study abroad credits.

Credit 12 units.

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

LING 1996 Linguistics Elective

This course is for elective or transfer credits.

Credit 0 units. EN: H, S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 2225 Linguistics for Legal Purposes

This course exposes students to an array of legal matters in which forensic linguistic science can play a key role. It simultaneously introduces them to linguistic concepts, theories, and methods that can be differentially applied for a combination of forensic and legal purposes. Topics include trademark disputes, defamation suits, civil litigation, authorship identification, and linguistic evaluations of testimony presented during murder trials. Assignments will include the formulation of affidavits and the production of legal opinions derived from diverse linguistic analyses.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC BU: BA EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 2550 Methods in Linguistic Research

This course will introduce students to a range of formal, computational, and experimental tools for conducting linguistic research. Students will learn about different types of linguistic data, experimental design, and statistical techniques in the context of research in general linguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. This course aims to make students more capable readers of linguistic research (and scientific research more generally) and to provide them with hands-on experience in employing linguistic research methods. The course will also serve as an introduction to R for statistical computing. The class is intended for freshman and sophomore students who are considering advanced study in the linguistics program. Prerequisite: Ling 170D.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC, AN EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall

LING 2995 Linguistics Coursework Completed Abroad

This course is for study abroad credits.

Credit 0 units.

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

LING 2996 Linguistics Elective

This course is for elective or transfer credits.

Credit 0 units. EN: H, S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3050 Phonetics

Phonetics is the study of the sounds of the languages of the world. The primary goal of the course is to learn how speech sounds are produced, so that the student can describe them in articulatory terms, write them out in a standard notational system, and produce them accurately. Other topics include a basic introduction to the acoustics of speech and the use of personal computers to display, analyze, and synthesize human speech. The course should prove useful to students desiring a deeper understanding of one of the fundamental underpinnings of linguistics, but also has practical applications in such fields as foreign language learning and the appreciation and acquisition of new dialects and accents. Prerequisite: Ling 170D.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3075 Introduction to Sociolinguistics

Studies of language in social context are presented, including research related to diglossia, bilingualism, pidginization, creolization, and dialectology. Discourse analyses and conversational analyses of face-to-face conversation are examined in methodological and analytical terms. Beyond assigned readings, critical discourse analyses, the ethnography of speaking, the sociology of language, and accommodation theory are also considered. Students are required to develop a course project related to one or more studies of language in use. Experimental studies of sociophonetics and sociohistorical linguistics are presented during lectures to demonstrate advanced interdisciplinary research with potential educational and legal relevance. Prerequisite: Ling 170D.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC, SC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall

LING 3150 Syntactic Analysis

The ability to produce and understand an infinite number of sentences is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the human language faculty. Syntax is the study of how the brain organizes sentences from smaller phrases and words. This course explores syntactic analysis from several perspectives within generative linguistics, focusing primarily on the Government and Binding framework but also introducing Minimalist and Optimality Theoretic approaches. Topics to be discussed include phrase structure, transformations, case theory, thematic roles, and anaphora. Assignments will help students learn to construct and compare analyses of syntactic problems in English and other languages. Prerequisite: Ling 170D or permission of instructor.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3175 Morphology

Concepts covered: morphemic analysis and investigation of morphological processes. Additional topics may include relationship of morphology to language-typology and to syntax. Prerequisite: Ling 170D, or permission of instructor.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3185 Linguistic Diversity in the United States

Linguistic diversity has always existed within the United States, and this course begins with a survey of many of the indigenous Native American languages that existed prior to European colonization. The emphasis of this course is linguistic research, as we examine diverse studies of language across the nation with respect to regional differences, racial and ethnic differences, historical differences, and differences in education and economic status. American bilingualism is explored, as are many of the dialects that have evolved in different parts of the nation. Students study a range of sophisticated linguistic analyses of language diversity in different parts of the USA at different points in the nation's history. The culmination of the course explores practical linguistic applications in legal and educational contexts. Prereq: Ling 170D and some familiarity with elementary statistics.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC, SC Art: SSC BU: BA EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall

LING 3225 Linguistic Pragmatics

Discourse analysis and pragmatics are the subfields of linguistics that investigate language as it is used in real-life contexts. The focus of this course is on the following question: What do people do with language, and how do they do it? One goal is to demonstate how the results of such investigations are relevant for a number of concrete problems in human communication. Some of the more specific questions we will explore are as follows: What distinguishes discourse analysis and pragmatics from each other? What is their relation to the other branches of linguistics? How can the two fields contibute to the establishment of a paradigm for interdisciplinary and intercultural studies? Prerequisite: Ling 170D or permission of instructor.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall

LING 3250 Introduction to Computational Linguistics

Use of computers to analyze, understand, and generate human language. Emphasis on appreciating practical applications such as text analysis, search and creation of dictionaries and corpora, information retrieval, machine translation, and speech interfaces. Survey of rule-based and statistical techniques. Students acquire programming skills appropriate for solving small- to medium-scale problems in linguistics and text processing, using a language such as Python. Students have regular programming assignments and complete a semester project. No previous knowledge of programming required. Prerequisite: L44 Ling 170D.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3350 Phonological Analysis

There are several important abilities involved in the use of human language, one of these being the ability to organize speech sounds. The system that the brain uses to accomplish this task is the subject matter of phonology. This course will explore phonology from several perspectives within generative linguistics, including both traditional rule-based and current Optimality Theoretic approaches. Topics to be discussed include phonological features, lexical phonology, prosodic morphology, tone, and metrical stress. Assignments will help students learn to analyze phonological problems in a variety of languages and to evaluate the consequences of using different analytic approaches. Prerequisite: Ling 170D or permission of instructor.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC BU: BA EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3450 Introduction to Semantics

Semantics is the branch of linguistics which studies how speakers assign meaning to words, sentences, and larger units of discourse. We combine perspectives from both linguistics and philosophy to explore a variety of topics including polysemy, compositionality, quantification, anaphora, definite descriptions, attitude reports, presupposition, and implicature. Prerequisite: Ling 170D or Phil 301G or permission of instructor.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3525 Linguistics Seminar

Readings on a selected topic in theoretical linguistics with an emphasis on discussion, presentation, and writing. Prerequisite: varies with topic.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Spring

LING 3526 Linguistics Seminar: Writing Intensive

Readings on a selected topic in theoretical linguistics, with an emphasis on discussion, presentation, and writing. Prerequisite: varies with topic.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC, WI Art: SSC

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3550 Historical and Comparative Linguistics

Historical linguistics focuses on how languages change over time. Comparative linguistics focuses on their similarities and differences. In this course we will trace some of the differences and changes in sound (phonetics and phonology) word formation (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), and meaning (semantics). Topics include linguistic universals, the structural and genetic classification of languages, the techniques of reconstructing proto-languages, and the causes of language change. Examples from Indo-European languages (for example, Greek, English, and Spanish) and from Native American languages (for example, Quechua and Mayan) will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Ling 170D.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: LCD, SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 3995 Linguistics Coursework Completed Abroad

This course is for study abroad credits.

Credit 12 units.

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

LING 3996 Linguistics Elective

This course is for elective or transfer credits.

Credit 0 units. EN: H, S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 4040 Topics in Linguistics

Meets with designated linguistics course, but with additional writing and research required for graduate credit and certification.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 4062 Second-Language Acquisition

There are many ways in which a second language can be learned: from infancy as the child of bilingual parents, or later through formal instruction, immersion in a new culture, or in a particular work or social situation. This class is an inquiry into the processes by which acquisition occurs. Topics include the nature of language learning within the scope of other types of human learning; the relationship between first and second language acquisition; the role of linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural factors; insights gained from analyzing learners' errors; key concepts such as interlanguage and communicative competence; bilingualism; the optimal age for second language acquisition; and a critical appraisal of different theories of second language acquisition. Both theoretical and instructional implications of second language acquisition research are considered. This course can be used towards certification in TESOL and is a required course for the Graduate Certificate in Language Instruction. Prerequisite: Ling 170D or equivalent is recommended, especially for undergraduates, but is not required.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: HUM Arch: HUM Art: HUM BU: HUM EN: H

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 4250 Computation and Learnability in Linguistic Theory

This course introduces the advanced linguistics or computer science student to the fields of learnability and computation as they apply to the study of linguistic theories and natural language. Topics covered include the formal language hierarchy, including the subregular languages; issues in the learnability of phonology, morphology, and syntax; and algorithms specific to constraint-based linguistic grammars. Prerequisites: either CS 130 or Ling 317 and at least one of the following: Ling 309, Ling 311, Ling 313, or Ling 315.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC EN: S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 4850 Senior Seminar in Linguistics:

The Senior Seminar affords students an opportunity to integrate the various fields of linguistics. Readings, discussions, and presentations let students address issues that combine the content and the research methods of areas such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, diachrony, and semantics. Students have individual projects within the scope of the semester's particular topic, but the class as a whole helps in choosing, developing, and refining the treatment. This course fulfills the requirement for a senior capstone for primary majors in Linguistics. It is the normal option for students who wish to take the capstone as a regular class rather than as sponsored independent study.

Credit 3 units. A&S IQ: SSC Art: SSC

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 4975 Independent Work for Senior Honors

Prerequisites: senior standing and permission of the Linguistics Program.

Credit 6 units.

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring

LING 4995 Linguistics Coursework Completed Abroad

This course is for study abroad credits.

Credit 0 units.

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

LING 4996 Linguistics Elective

This course is for elective or transfer credits.

Credit 0 units. EN: H, S

Typical periods offered: Fall, Spring