Currently Offered Courses - Fall 2023
Below you can view a list of the current Linguistics course offerings. In addition, the Department of Linguistics hosts a variety of other rubrics, including courses in Arabic, English as an International Language, English as a Second Language, Hindi, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, Wolof, and Zulu.
Introduction to the theory and methodology of general linguistics; includes the various branches and applications of linguistics.
Examines the relationship between language and culture in the multilingual and multicultural context of India. Special topics of focus are: linguistic and cultural diversity in India, impact of the language and cultural contact on the structure and function of languages (convergence, diglossia, code-mixing, pidgins and creoles), language and identity, language of religion, language and gender, language in the media, literature and culture, language and power, language and globalization. Same as HNDI 115 and REL 115.
Study of selected topics on an individually arranged basis. Open only to honors majors or to Cohn Scholars. May be repeated once. Prerequisite: Consent of departmental honors advisor.
Addresses the question "Why does language change?" Specific topics include: the history and origin of writing; why pronunciation changes; change in vocabulary and what it tells us about change in culture and society; the relation between "language" and "dialect"; multilingualism and its consequences, including Pidgins and Creoles; genetic relationship between languages, with focus on the "Indo-European" family (English, German, French, Russia, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit, etc.) and the relationships between human languages. Prerequisite: Fulfillment of the foreign language requirement of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Introduction to the role of language in globalization by examining communication issues concerning language use across cultural, political and geographic boundaries. Explores the interaction of language and other cultural forms in the global context. Among the topics discussed are issues of identity, spread of English and its acculturation to local contexts of use, creativity in language mixing, language in global pop cultures, language in cyberspace, as well as minority language experiences, and loss of indigenous languages.
Introduction to the theory and methodology of psycholinguistics with emphasis on language acquisition and linguistic behavior. Same as PSYC 225.
The United States has a vast and varied linguistic landscape that has been shaped by a unique medley of peoples and cultural practices. From the colonization of North America to contemporary politics and popular culture, language has helped to connect us in many ways, and has also served as a tool for making and maintaining difference. This course explores issues of standardization, language maintenance, linguistic discrimination, identity formation, and many others to consider the ways "diversity" is not only a multiplicity of different histories, beliefs, and practices, but can also become a means of interpersonal prejudice and structural inequity.
What technologies have humans developed to augment the quintessential human ability: language? We start with the development of writing, the first technology that was specifically designed for language, and trace its history through the invention of printing, and into the digital age. With the advent of computers the relevance of language for technology has broadened significantly. We review technologies such as automatic speech recognition, speech synthesis and automatic translation, and discuss their implications for present and future human-machine interaction. Prerequisite: LING 100 or consent of instructor.
Individual readings and research reports on special topics dealing with the theoretical or applied aspects of the linguistic sciences. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Prerequisite: Written consent of instructor.
Supervised participation in laboratory or other research, usually as an assistant to a senior researcher. May be repeated up to a maximum of 9 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Introduction to concepts and techniques essential for syntactic analysis and description, with special attention to testing analyses and justifying them. Prerequisite: LING 100 or consent of instructor.
Introduction to the theory of meaning for natural language, including techniques for the description of lexical meaning, compositional determination of phrase and sentence meaning, and pragmatic effects on interpretation in context. Same as PHIL 307. Prerequisite: LING 100 or consent of instructor.
Study and research for honors thesis; open only to seniors in the linguistics major who are eligible for departmental distinction. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Prerequisite: Written consent of instructor and linguistics course average of 3.4.
Introduction to the theory and methodology of the science of linguistics with special reference to phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Not intended for undergraduate majors in linguistics. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Introduction to the main branches of general phonetics and phonological theory; emphasis on analysis of non-Western languages and research techniques. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Introduction to aspects of the tools and methods of studies in speech and natural language processing (NLP), with a focus on programming for NLP and speech applications, statistical methods for data analysis, and tools for displaying and manipulating speech data. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Advanced or intensive language instruction in a selected non-Western language; excludes instruction in East or Southeast Asian languages. 1 to 5 undergraduate hours. 2 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated with approval. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Introduces the field of natural language processing and computational linguistics. Topics include finite-state methods, parsing, probabilistic methods, machine learning in NLP, computational semantics and applications of NLP technology. The course combines linguistic theory with computational modeling. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: LING 100 or LING 400, and CS 225 or equivalent, and STAT 200 or STAT 212 or STAT 400 or CS 361 or equivalent.
Introductory survey of psychological and linguistic approaches to the study of communication. Same as MACS 425. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for both LING 425 and PSYC 425. Prerequisite: An introductory course in linguistics or psychology.
Introduction to the genetic relation of the Far Eastern languages with other languages; concentration on synchronic analysis of phonology and syntax. Same as EALC 430. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: LING 400; consent of instructor.
Introduction to the fundamental concepts, philosophy, and research methods of the study of language in its social contexts. Special attention to language spread, and language variation; language attitudes; language diversity; code-switching; language standardization; and language identity and loyalty. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
General introduction to second language acquisition (SLA) theory. Examines nativist, interactionist and cognitive approaches to SLA and explores the role of learner characteristics. Instruction in English. Same as FR 481, GER 489, ITAL 489, PORT 489, and SPAN 489. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: An introductory course in linguistics or consent of instructor.
Course provides an opportunity to focus on various subfields of the linguistic sciences, depending on the interests of the faculty and student. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated as topic varies to a maximum of 9 undergraduate hours or 12 graduate hours. Students may register for up to two sections in the same term. Prerequisite: LING 100, LING 400, or consent of instructor.
Introduction to the fundamental concepts, philosophy, and methods of syntactic theory. Prerequisite: LING 400 or equivalent.
Supervised practical experience in extended linguistic research on individual topics of the student's choice. Concurrent enrollment in at least 2 hours of LING 590 is required. 2 graduate hours. No professional credit. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 4 hours.
Introduction to formal semantic theory for natural language, with attention to quantification, anaphora, tense, intensionality, and related topics. Same as PHIL 507. Prerequisite: LING 407 or consent of the instructor.
Focus on a critical examination of issues in the theory and practice of sociolinguistics concerning the study of language variation from a cross-linguistic perspective, language diversity, multilingualism, language ideology and power. Prerequisite: LING 450 or equivalent.
Same as FR 559, ITAL 559, PORT 559, RMLG 559, and SPAN 557. See SPAN 557.
Same as PSYC 514, ANTH 514, CS 549, EPSY 551, and PHIL 514. See PSYC 514.
Same as EALC 588, FR 588, GER 588, ITAL 588, PORT 588, and SPAN 588. See SPAN 588.
Individual studies in the areas of linguistics not covered by regular course offerings. May be repeated.
Discussion of advanced topics of current interest. May be repeated with approval. Prerequisite: LING 501 and LING 502.