Linguistics
Undergraduate Adviser: Jerrold M. Sadock, Cl 308, 702-8526
Departmental Secretary: Vanessa Wright, Cl 304, 702-8522
Program of Study
The purpose of the Bachelor of Arts program with concentration in linguistics is to provide a solid, integrated introduction to the core subdisciplines of linguistics, as well as a language background sufficient to provide a database for the theoretical parts of the program. This introduction provides students with a general orientation and overview of the field and prepares them for productive advanced study in linguistics.
Prior to registration and before meeting with their College adviser, linguistics concentrators should consult the departmental undergraduate adviser.
Program Requirements
The B.A. degree requirements in linguistics are (1) Linguistics 201-202-203 (usually taken during the second year), (2) the four linguistics core courses (usually divided between the third and fourth years), (3) three language courses beyond the first year in either French, German, or Russian, and (4) a non-Indo-European language requirement usually satisfied by taking a three-quarter course in an approved language. The required linguistics courses are Introduction to Linguistics (Linguistics 201-202-203), which is the prerequisite for the four core courses; Syntax I (Linguistics 204); Phonetics (Linguistics 206); Semantics-Pragmatics (Linguistics 207); and Phonology I (Linguistics 208). Linguistics students often take additional linguistics courses as electives or courses in related fields such as anthropology, information science, philosophy, or sociology.
Summary of Requirements
Concentration
|
3 |
Ling 201-202-203 (introductory courses) |
|
4 |
Ling 204, 206, 207, 208 (core courses) |
|
3 |
courses in French, German, or Russian beyond the first year |
|
3 |
courses in an approved non-Indo-European language |
|
13 |
Honors. Fourth-year students who have maintained a 3.0 overall grade point average or better and a 3.5 or better grade point average in linguistics courses may consult with the departmental undergraduate adviser about submitting an honors essay. Consultation should take place at the beginning of the student's senior year and the essay must be submitted by the fifth week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate to qualify for honors.
Grading. Courses may be taken on a P/N basis except that students concentrating in linguistics must receive letter grades in all courses aimed at meeting the requirements of the degree program.
Joint Degree Program. The core curriculum for the B.A. closely follows the basic program for the M.A. degree in the Department of Linguistics. Students who have demonstrated a high ability in linguistics may apply for a joint B.A./M.A. They should consult with the Dean of Students of the Division of the Humanities (Wb 105) no later than April 1 of their third year. To be considered for admission to the program, the student must have maintained a 3.5 grade point average or better in Linguistics 201, 202, and 203, as well as the linguistics core courses (at least two of which must be completed before petitioning for admission). Joint degree program students take all the remaining required linguistics courses for the M.A. degree. Their knowledge of the content of the four core courses is tested in the qualifying examination given in the spring quarter. The remaining additional requirement is the M.A. thesis. In order for the M.A. thesis to be completed by the end of the fourth year, the following schedule must be met: (1) the two faculty members supervising the thesis must have approved the research topic, plan, and reading list by the end of the autumn quarter; (2) the supervisors must confirm completion of the research by the end of winter quarter; and (3) the thesis must be completed by the fifth week of the spring quarter.
Faculty
HOWARD I. ARONSON, Professor, Departments of Linguistics and Slavic Languages & Literatures
AMY DAHLSTROM, Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics and the College
BILL J. DARDEN, Professor, Departments of Linguistics and Slavic Languages & Literatures
VICTOR FRIEDMAN, Professor, Departments of Linguistics and Slavic Languages & Literatures and the College; Chairman, Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures
JOHN GOLDSMITH, Edward Carson Waller Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Linguistics
GENE B. GRAGG, Professor, Departments of Linguistics, Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, and Oriental Institute; Director, Oriental Institute
RICHARD D. JANDA, Assistant Professor, Department of Linguistics
KOSTAS KAZAZIS, Professor, Department of Linguistics and the College
KAREN LANDAHL, Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics and the College
JAMES D. MCCAWLEY, Andrew MacLeish Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Linguistics and East Asian Languages & Civilizations
DAVID MCNEILL, Professor, Departments of Linguistics and Psychology (Cognition & Communication and Developmental Psychology) and the College
SALIKOKO S. MUFWENE, Professor, Department of Linguistics and the College; Chairman, Department of Linguistics
JERROLD M. SADOCK, Glen A. Lloyd Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Linguistics and the College
MICHAEL SILVERSTEIN, Samuel N. Harper Professor, Departments of Anthropology, Linguistics, and Psychology (Cognition & Communication) and Committee on Analysis of Ideas & Study of Methods
Courses
201-202-203/301-302-303. Introduction to Linguistics I, II, III (=Anthro 270-1,-2-3/370-1,-2,-3, Ling 201-202-203/301-302-303, SocSci 217-218-219). PQ: Must be taken in sequence. This course is an introductory survey of methods, findings, and problems in areas of major interest within linguistics and of the relationship of linguistics to other disciplines. Topics include the biological basis of language, basic notions of syntax, semantics, pragmatics, basic syntactic typology of language, phonetics, phonology, morphology, language acquisition, linguistic variation, and linguistic change. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
204/304. Syntax I (=Anthro 378, Ling 204/304). PQ: Ling 201, 202, or 203; or equivalent. This course is devoted to detailed study of the major syntactic phenomena of English, combined with exposition and critical evaluation of the principal accounts of phenomena proposed by transformational grammarians and the theoretical frameworks within which those accounts are developed. Class discussion focuses on ideas advanced in or arising out of transformational grammar with regard to the relation between syntax and semantics and the psychological status of linguistic analyses. J. Sadock. Autumn.
205/305. Syntax II (=Anthro 379, Ling 205/305). PQ: Ling 204 or consent of instructor. The purpose of this course is to bring students to the point where they are able to follow syntactic articles in contemporary journals. Staff. Spring.
206/306. Phonetics (=Anthro 377, Ling 206/306). PQ: Ling 201, 202, or 203; or consent of instructor. This is an introduction to the study of speech sounds. Speech sounds are described with respect to their articulatory, acoustic, and perceptual structures. There are lab exercises both in phonetic transcription and in the acoustic analysis of speech sounds. K. Landahl. Autumn.
207/307. Semantics and Pragmatics. PQ: Ling 204. This course is an introduction to the systematic study of meaning and context. J. McCawley. Spring.
208/308. Phonology I (=Anthro 373, Ling 208/308). PQ: Ling 201, 202, 203, or 206; or equivalent. This is an introduction to general principles of phonology, with emphasis on nongenerative theory. J. Goldsmith. Autumn.
209/309. Phonology II (=Anthro 376, Ling 209/309). PQ: Ling 208. The principles of generative phonology are introduced and studied in detail, emphasizing the role of formalism and abstractness in phonological analysis. The emphasis is on the Sound Pattern of English theory, with brief discussion of more recent autosegmental and metrical models. Staff. Winter.
210. Morphology (=Anthro 374, Ling 210). This course deals with linguistic structure and patterning beyond the phonological level. It focuses on the analysis of grammatical and formal oppositions, and their structural relationships and interrelationships (morphophonology). J. Sadock. Spring.
213/313. Historical Linguistics (=Anthro 473, Ling 213/313). PQ: Ling 206 or 208, or consent of instructor. This course concerns linguistic change and variation and the theory of genetic comparison and reconstruction. K. Kazazis. Autumn.
217/317. Experimental Phonetics. PQ: Ling 206/306 or consent of instructor. This course is an exploration of various instrumentation available for speech analysis and synthesis. Hands-on work is emphasized. This year's topic is vowel synthesis. Perception-related literature is also assigned for reading and discussion. K. Landahl. Winter.
239/339. Languages of the World (=Anthro 375, Ling 239/339). This course is an introduction to the genetic and typological diversity of the languages of humankind. J. Sadock. Spring.
258/358. Sociolinguistic Perspectives on American English (=Anthro 271, Ling 258/358). This course explores the emergence of the American English linguistic community within the context of North American and more global English-centered speech communities. Topics include American culture and the American culture of language, as well as the dynamic intersections of institutional forces that have shaped, and are currently shaping, American/English discursive practices and linguistic structure. M. Silverstein. Spring.
270. Culture and Cognition: Linguistic Relativity (=Anthro 278, Ling 270). PQ: Knowledge of linguistics or cognitive studies helpful. Understanding language both as a systematic representation of the thinkable and as a systematic way of inhabiting a universe of social action, we review the ways in which modern social and cognitive scientists have dealt with the implications of the formal variability of language. We consider both cross-linguistic, cross-societal implications, and the significance of register-based social variability of language within linguistic communities. M. Silverstein. Not offered 1998-1999; will be offered 1999-2000.
272/372. Language, Power, and Identity in Southeastern Europe (=Anthro 274/374, GnSlav 230/330, Hum 274, Ling 272/372). Language is a key issue in the articulation of ethnicity and the struggle for power in Southeastern Europe. This course familiarizes students with the linguistic histories and structures that have served as bases for the formation of modern Balkan ethnic identities and that are being manipulated to shape current and future events. The course is informed by the instructor's twenty-five years of linguistic research in the Balkans, as well as his experience as an adviser for the United Nations Protection Forces in the Former Yugoslavia and as a consultant to the South Balkan Project of the Council on Foreign Relations. V. Friedman. Autumn.
288/388. Languages of Europe. This course examines Europe as a linguistic area. We discuss language versus dialect, linguistic convergence as a result of language contact, and traits common to various groups of European languages. K. Kazazis. Winter.
297. Informal Course. PQ: Consent of instructor and departmental adviser. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
311-312. Language in Culture I, II (=Anthro 372-1,-2, GS Hum 354-355, Ling 311-312, Psych 470-471). PQ: Consent of instructor. Must be taken in sequence. This two-quarter course presents the major issues in linguistics of anthropological interest, including, in the first half, the formal structure of semiotic systems, the ethnographically crucial incorporation of linguistic forms into cultural systems, and the methods for empirical investigation of "functional" semiotic structure and history. The second half of the sequence takes up basic concepts in sociolinguistics and their critique, linguistic analysis of publics, performance and ritual, and language ideologies, among other topics. M. Silverstein, Winter; S. Gal, Spring.
314. Issues in Greek and Latin Linguistics (=Greek 248/348, Ling 314). This research-oriented course is an introduction to much-debated issues in contemporary Greek and Latin linguistics and to the tools and methodology of work in this field. The first half of the course focuses on method and the question of what constitutes linguistically sound argumentation. We do this by evaluating recent work on tense and aspect in Greek, and on word order in Latin. For the remainder of the course, participants are encouraged to work on topics of their own choice, on anything from Greek particles to Latin infinitives or vice versa. H. Dik. Winter.
315. Language Prehistory and Archaeology: The Origins of Indo-European. This course involves an introduction to Indo-European phonology and a survey of the combined linguistic and archaeological arguments for locating the original area where Proto-Indo-European Language was spoken. The main texts are Robert Beekes's Comparative Indo-European Linguistics, and J. P. Mallory's In Search of the Indo-Europeans, with readings from Maria Gimbutas's The Kurgan Culture and the Indo-Europeanization of Europe, and The Oxford Illustrated Prehistory of Europe. B. Darden. Winter.
101-102-103. American Sign Language. American Sign Language is the language of the deaf in the United States and much of Canada. It is a full-fledged autonomous language, unrelated to English or other spoken languages. This introductory course teaches the student basic vocabulary and grammatical structure, as well as aspects of deaf culture. D. Ronchen. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
104-105-106. Intermediate American Sign Language. D. Ronchen. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
201-202-203. Introductory Modern Hebrew I, II, III (=Hebrew 201-202-203, JewStd 250-251-252/350-351-352, LngLin 201-202-203). This course sequence fulfills the Common Core foreign language requirement. This course introduces students to reading, writing, and speaking modern Hebrew. All four language skills are emphasized: comprehension of written and oral materials; reading of nondiacritical text; writing of directed sentences, paragraphs, and compositions; and speaking. Students learn the Hebrew root pattern system and the seven basic verb conjugations in both the past and present tenses, as well as simple future. At the end of the year, students can conduct short conversations in Hebrew, read materials designed to their level, and write short essays. A. Finkelstein. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
204-205-206. Intermediate Modern Hebrew I, II, III (=Hebrew 204-205-206, JewStd 253-254-255/353-354-355, LngLin 204-205-206). This course is devised for students who had previously taken either modern or biblical Hebrew courses. The main objective is to provide students with the skills necessary to approach modern Hebrew prose, both fiction and nonfiction. In order to achieve this formidable task, students are provided with a systematic examination of the complete verb structure. Many syntactic structures are introduced, including simple clauses, and coordinate and compound sentences. At this level students not only write and speak extensively, but are also required to analyze grammatically and contextually all of the materials assigned. A. Finkelstein. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
213-214-215. Elementary Modern Greek. PQ: Open to nonnative speakers. K. Kazazis. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
217/317-365. East European Yiddish Language and Culture (=Hum 246, JewStd 217, LngLin 217/317-365). PQ: Knowledge of languages such as Yiddish, German, or Hebrew not required. An introduction to Yiddish language and to the culture of East European Jews through the reading of a collection of short literary texts in the original Yiddish: the Khumesh lider (Bible poems) of Itsik Manger. Students should be able to read Yiddish texts with the aid of a dictionary after completing the course. H. Aronson. Winter.
240-241-242. First Year Yiddish through Literature I, II, III (=EEuro 240-1-2, JewStd 237-238-239, LngLin 240-241-242). PQ: May be taken in sequence or individually. The first quarter is devoted to an overview of Yiddish grammar through the reading of a series of short poems in the original. The second and third quarters are devoted to developing active knowledge of Yiddish through continued reading, grammar drill, and conversational practice. H. Aronson. Autumn, Winter, Spring.
251/351. Old Church Slavonic (=GnSlav 220/320, LngLin 251/351). PQ: Knowledge of another Slavic language or a good knowledge of one or two other old Indo-European languages. Introduction to the language of the oldest Slavic texts. The course begins with a brief historical overview of the relationship of Old Church Slavonic to Common Slavic and the other Slavic languages. This is followed by a short outline of Old Church Slavonic inflectional morphology. The remainder of the course is spent in the reading and grammatical analysis of original texts in Cyrillic or Cyrillic transcription of the original Glagolitic. V. Friedman. Winter.
261. Structure of Albanian. V. Friedman. Spring.
320. Applied Linguistics. H. Aronson. Autumn, Winter, Spring.