Program in Linguistics

Director

Joshua T. Katz

Executive Committee

Leonard H. Babby, Slavic Languages and Literatures

David M. Bellos, French and Italian, Comparative Literature

Marguerite A. Browning, Council of the Humanities

Robert P. Ebert, German

Michael G. Fara, Philosophy

Robert A. Freidin, Council of the Humanities

Adele E. Goldberg, Council of the Humanities

Delia Graff Fara, Philosophy

Gilbert H. Harman, Philosophy

Joshua T. Katz, Classics

Sarah-Jane Leslie, Philosophy

Daniel N. Osherson, Psychology

Gideon A. Rosen, Philosophy, ex officio

Edwin S. Williams III, Council of the Humanities

Sits with Committee

Christiane Fellbaum, Computer Science

Linguistics is the study of the distinctive properties of human language and the cognitive capacities of language users, including the rules that govern the structure of particular languages and the universal principles governing all languages. The basic areas of study include phonology (the study of the sound patterns of language), morphology (the study of the structure and meaning of words), syntax (the study of the structure of sentences), and semantics (the study of linguistic meaning). An understanding of these basic properties of human language provides valuable analytical perspective to the work of students of language and literature, anthropology, computer science, philosophy, and psychology.

Students in the Program in Linguistics acquire the basic research tools for the formal study of language and language-related issues. Participants satisfy the requirements of their chosen departmental major and develop a complementary course of study in linguistics as outlined below. A student who fulfills the requirements of the program with satisfactory standing receives a certificate of proficiency in linguistics.

Admission

The program is open to undergraduates majoring in any department. Students should meet with the program director, usually during the sophomore year, to apply to the program and plan a course of study. Applicants will be accepted on the basis of interest and a coherent academic plan.

Program of Study

The program of study will be approved by the program director. It will include completion of the following requirements:

1. Satisfactory completion of LIN 201 or an equivalent linguistics course by the end of fall term of the junior year.

2. Satisfactory completion of four additional courses from the list of linguistics courses and related courses below. These four courses must include at least two core courses. The core courses are LIN 302 Syntax, LIN 303 Linguistic Semantics, and LIN 306 The Structure and Meaning of Words.

3. Completion of a senior thesis or comparable independent work in an area of the study of language. Some junior independent work in the study of language is strongly recommended.

Other Linguistics Courses

The following graduate courses are open to undergraduates:

518 Field Methods in Linguistics

522 Linguistics and Literary Theory

523 Comparative Linguistics of the Indo-European Languages

525, 526 Introduction to Sanskrit

531 Selected Problems in Linguistics

Related Courses

Depending upon individual student interests, any of the following courses may provide an appropriate supplement to the program’s core courses. For complete course descriptions, see the pertinent departmental entry. Other courses may be added to this list with the approval of the program director. One year of an “exotic” language (see director for approval) may substitute for one of these courses.

Classics

208 Origins and Nature of English Vocabulary

East Asian Studies

447 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics

Philosophy

317 Philosophy of Language

Psychology

309 Psychology of Language

Slavic Languages and Literatures

501, 502 The Structure of Contemporary Standard Russian I and II

503, 504 The History of the Russian Language I and II

Courses

LIN 201 Introduction to Language and Linguistics (also ENG 213) — Fall, Spring EC

Introduction to the scientific study and analysis of human language. Investigation of the mental representation of human language based on a formal analysis of linguistic structure (form, sound, and meaning)—including historical and social variation and the related issues of the acquisition of language, and the relation between language and the brain. Two lectures, one preceptorial. R. Freidin, Staff

LIN 204 The Chomskyan Revolution — Spring EC

Noam Chomsky’s linguistic theory has revolutionized our understanding of the nature of human language. This course examines the core concepts of this theory, its development over four decades, and its implications for philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology. Other topics include the controversy over Darwinian accounts of the origin of language (e.g., Steven Pinker) and the connection between Chomsky’s views on human language and his broader views on human nature and the organization of society. Two 90-minute classes. R. Freidin

LIN 212 Human Language: A User’s Guide — Not offered this year EC

Where does language come from? How do we know that you can’t say it that way? And who has the authority to tell you? Why are some sentences better than others? Why do the same words differently organized have different effects? This course is about human language, its nature, use, users, and origin, based primarily on English. Major topics include the structure of sentences, paragraphs, words; language and thought; and the historical and biological origins of language. Two 90-minute classes. R. Freidin

LIN 214 Historical Linguistics (also ENG 214) — Not offered this year LA

The history of the English language from its origins in Germanic dialects through Old, Middle, and Modern English with special attention to the development of sound changes, the rise of standard dialects, and the relationship of language and literary texts. Two lectures, one preceptorial. Staff

LIN 215 Linguistics and Language Acquisition — Spring EC

What does it mean to know a language? Is it something we learn or something the brain “grows’’? What aspects of language are innate? Is parents’ speech important in language learning? An examination of the properties of child language through the lens of current linguistic theory. Two 90-minute classes. A. Goldberg

LIN 216 Language, Mind, and Brain (also PSY 216) — Not offered this year EC

This course examines the complex mental and neurological processes that underlie linguistic knowledge and behavior. We will be concerned with the precise description and measurement of language activity, with its governing principles, and with available indices for the associated neural computations and their location in the brain. Seminar. Staff

LIN 280 Computational Linguistics (also COS 280) — Fall EC

Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary area that lies at the intersection of formal linguistics, computer science, and artificial intelligence. This course introduces core computational methods and concepts in the analysis of strings, grammars and logical inference. Two 90-minute classes. C. Fellbaum

LIN 301 Phonetics and Phonology — Not offered this year EC

The analysis of sound patterns of human languages. Examination of articulatory phonetics as incorporated into a system of phonological rules accounting for these patterns. Survey of basic concepts and relations including levels of representation (phonetic versus phonemic), types and ordering of rules, and phonological change. Three classes. Prerequisite: 201 or instructor’s permission. I. Vogel

LIN 302 Syntax — Spring EC

Methods of syntactic analysis of natural language (primarily English, with brief consideration of other languages). Foundations of a theory of generative grammar, covering phrase structure, transformations, and conditions on rules and representations. The general principles of syntactic structure that determine the form and interpretation of sentences are a major focus. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: 201 or instructor’s permission. R. Freidin

LIN 303 Linguistic Semantics — Spring EC

The central issues and leading theories of linguistic semantics for natural languages. Analyses of specific linguistic phenomena will be used to illustrate the interaction of syntax and semantics, the relation between language and the world, and the role of linguistic meaning in communication and understanding. Prerequisite: 201 or instructor’s permission. E. Williams

LIN 306 The Structure and Meaning of Words — Spring EC

The structure of words and the overall lexicon for human languages. Topics include word formation rules; the relation between syntax and the lexicon; the psychology of the lexicon, especially word storage and access; the semantics of complex words; the phonology of word formation; lexical redundancy and the learning of the lexicon. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: 201 or instructor’s permission. E. Williams

LIN 309 Psychology of Language (see PSY 309)

LIN 360 Linguistic Universals and Language Diversity — Fall EC

Linguistic theory accounts for what the grammars of all human languages share in common (linguistic universals) and the ways they differ (language diversity). The universality and diversity of syntactic subject, topic, voice, case, word order, and of constructions involving causatives, nonfinite verbal categories, relative clauses, and impersonal sentences. Two 90-minute classes. L. Babby

LIN 412 Advanced Syntax — Not offered this year EC

Development of a modular theory of grammar involving subtheories of case, government, predicate/argument structure, and binding. Investigation of parametric variation across languages for principles of grammar. Two 90-minute classes. R. Freidin