Graduate Program

Fall Term Schedule

Fall 2024

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
LING 405-1 Introduction to Historical Linguistics Maya Abtahian TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM
This course is designed to give an introduction to the principles of linguistic variation and change, and to examine their practical application in the interdisciplinary subfields of historical linguistics and historical sociolinguistics. Topics covered include diachrony and synchrony, genetic relations, the comparative method and language classification, sound change, morphological, syntactic and semantic change, borrowing, types of language contact, areal linguistics, and linguistic variation and social stratification.s Location Lattimore Room 513 (TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM)
LING 410-1 Introduction to Language Sound Systems Joyce McDonough MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
The goal of this course is to provide a background for understanding the principles that underlie the structure of sound systems in human languages. Starting with the notion phoneme, the course focuses on acoustic and articulatory phonetics, as a basis for understanding phonological processes and change in linguistic sound forms. Students will acquire skills in the production, recognition, and transcription of sounds in various languages of the world. The course will serve as a foundation for work in language documentation, sociolinguistics and sociophonetics, morphology. Location Gavett Hall Room 310 (MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)
LING 415-1 Languages of Africa Nadine Grimm TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
About 2,000 of the world’s 7,000 languages are spoken in Africa. The diversity that characterizes these languages is exceptional, but little known to non-specialists. In this course, we will learn about the languages of Africa: the diversity of their linguistic structures (including famous features that are found nowhere else, e.g. click consonants), their history and the history of their speakers (from ca 10,000 BP to the (post-) colonial period), and their cultural contexts, among other topics. We will explore the wealth and diversity of African cultures through the lens of language. This course also incorporates a variety of other disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, history, archaeology, human genetics, as well as the arts, to bring to light the variety of institutions, norms, and social practices produced by African societies which have historically been excluded from dominant cultural narratives. The focus will be on the role played by language in these institutions, norms and practices, and their representation. This course has no prerequisites and is open to anyone with an interest in African languages or the African continent. Location Lattimore Room 513 (TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)
LING 425-1 Intro to Semantic Analysis Mary Moroney MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
This course introduces students to the basics of the analysis of meaning in natural language. The first section focuses on devices that motivate certain forms to take on the meanings they have. The second section of the course moves on to discuss how meanings combine to form meanings for larger unitshow words and phrases combine to form sentences meanings. Using logical notation we illustrate the formal analysis of natural language meaning in terms of truth-conditions. We will discuss the basics of set theory, and investigate how meanings represented in these terms correlate with the syntactic and lexical structures of sentences of natural language. Students of graduate standing or those with strong formal backgrounds may consider starting with LING 265/465 instead, for which this course is ordinarily a prerequisite. This course counts towards satisfying the core course requirement for majors. Location Morey Room 525 (MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
LING 426-01 Morphology Mary Moroney MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
The course examines the structure and definition of the linguistic unit 'word'' its typology and the relationship of the morphological component to other levels in the grammar. The course includes an introduction to analytical techniques with emphasis placed on an examination of data from a range of languages. The building blocks of words will be analyzed and topics such as affixation, reduplication and inflectional and derivational morphology will be covered. We will examine the properties of words and how they fit into the larger structure of linguistic knowledge, including the relationship between words and syntactic structure (ex., phrases and sentences) and the relationship between words and phonological structure (ex., phonological rules and prosodic structure). Location Lattimore Room 513 (MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)
LING 445-1 Philosophy of Language Jens Kipper TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
General nature of language and specific puzzles about language: the nature of truth and meaning, speech acts, reference, propositional attitudes, metaphor, understanding, interpretation, indeterminacy, etc. (PHIL 110 is recommended prior to taking this course.) Location Dewey Room 2110E (TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)
LING 460-1 Syntactic Theory Joanna Pietraszko TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
This course picks up where LING 420 leaves off, though focusing more on topics in natural language syntax from a cross-linguistic perspective. The goal of the course is an approach to syntax that accounts for both language-particular as well as universal constraints on language. Among the topics studied are head and phrase movement, constraints on co-reference (anaphora), elipsis, and agreement (phi features). Prerequisite: LING 420 recommended. Location Lattimore Room 513 (TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)
LING 461-01 Constraint Based Syntax Ash Asudeh TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
This syntactic theory course examines syntactic phenomena from the perspective of phrase structure and lexicalist grammar as opposed to transformational grammar. The course will examine and develop phrase structure grammar (specifically Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar) approaches to standard syntactic problems, contrasting them where appropriate with transformational approaches. No background in non-transformational approaches will be assumed. This course can be taken as LIN 261 or as LIN 461 and is meant for linguistics majors and non-majors alike. Location Lattimore Room 513 (TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)
LING 470-1 Preserving diversity in language and culture Nadine Grimm TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
This class is addressed to anyone interested in fieldwork involving data collection of spoken language, including for instance linguists, anthropologists, or historians. Languages and cultures are currently disappearing on an unprecedented level due to the effects of globalization and displacement of people. Minority groups are often the most affected. As languages and cultures die, we lose entire knowledge systems and communities an integral part of their identity. This class introduces you to major techniques and tools of collecting and curating language data, using it for your research purposes, and making it useful to speech communities and other scholars. We will investigate the importance of language as a social convention from an interdisciplinary perspective, including, e.g., issues in intercultural research and ethics in fieldwork. Students will design their own projects, depending on their personal interests, and receive hands-on training in audio and video recording, time-aligned annotations, data management, and archiving. Location Lattimore Room 513 (TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
LING 482-01 Deep Learning Methods in Computational Linguistics C.M. Downey MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
This course covers advanced topics in computational linguistics, with a focus on the deployment of deep learning methods for advancing linguistic theory as well as the use of linguistic theory for designing deep learning models. Topics include phonotactic, morphological, and syntactic grammar induction as well as morphological, syntactic and semantic parsing. Prereq: LING 281/481. Location Hylan Building Room 307 (MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)
LING 491-3 Master's Reading in LIN Scott Grimm 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 491-5 Master's Reading in Lin – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Created section, section number 5, removed Audit from grading bases, Updated instructor, updated minimum units, removed teaching assistant. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 491-6 Master's Reading in Lin Joanna Pietraszko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 491-7 Master's Reading in Lin Aaron White 7:00PM - 7:00PM
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LING 495-1 Master's Research in Ling Joyce McDonough 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 495-2 Master's Research in Ling Scott Grimm 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 495-3 Master's Research in Ling Nadine Grimm 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 495-5 Master's Research in Ling – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 495-6 Master's Research in Ling Joanna Pietraszko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 495-7 Master's Research in Ling Aaron White 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 590-01 Supervised Teaching Aaron White 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 590-02 Supervised Teaching – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 590-03 Supervised Teaching – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 590-04 Supervised Teaching Maya Abtahian 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 590-05 Supervised Teaching Joanna Pietraszko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 590-06 Supervised Teaching Jeremy Coburn 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 591-1 PhD Reading Course in Ling Jeffrey Runner 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 591-2 PhD Reading Course in Ling Nadine Grimm 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595-1 PhD Research in Ling Aaron White 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595-2 PhD Research in Ling Scott Grimm 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595-3 PhD Research in Ling Ash Asudeh 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595-4 PhD Research in Ling Nadine Grimm 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595-5 PhD Research in Linguistics Maya Abtahian 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595A-02 PhD Research in Absentia Joyce McDonough 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595A-1 PhD Research in Absentia Ash Asudeh 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 595B-01 PhD Research in Absentia Abroad Joyce McDonough 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 895-1 Cont of Master's Enrollment – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 897-1 Master's Dissertation Maya Abtahian 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Blank Description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
LING 999-1 Doctoral Dissertation Maya Abtahian 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
Monday
Monday and Wednesday
LING 410-1 Introduction to Language Sound Systems Joyce McDonough
The goal of this course is to provide a background for understanding the principles that underlie the structure of sound systems in human languages. Starting with the notion phoneme, the course focuses on acoustic and articulatory phonetics, as a basis for understanding phonological processes and change in linguistic sound forms. Students will acquire skills in the production, recognition, and transcription of sounds in various languages of the world. The course will serve as a foundation for work in language documentation, sociolinguistics and sociophonetics, morphology.
LING 482-01 Deep Learning Methods in Computational Linguistics C.M. Downey
This course covers advanced topics in computational linguistics, with a focus on the deployment of deep learning methods for advancing linguistic theory as well as the use of linguistic theory for designing deep learning models. Topics include phonotactic, morphological, and syntactic grammar induction as well as morphological, syntactic and semantic parsing. Prereq: LING 281/481.
LING 425-1 Intro to Semantic Analysis Mary Moroney
This course introduces students to the basics of the analysis of meaning in natural language. The first section focuses on devices that motivate certain forms to take on the meanings they have. The second section of the course moves on to discuss how meanings combine to form meanings for larger unitshow words and phrases combine to form sentences meanings. Using logical notation we illustrate the formal analysis of natural language meaning in terms of truth-conditions. We will discuss the basics of set theory, and investigate how meanings represented in these terms correlate with the syntactic and lexical structures of sentences of natural language. Students of graduate standing or those with strong formal backgrounds may consider starting with LING 265/465 instead, for which this course is ordinarily a prerequisite. This course counts towards satisfying the core course requirement for majors.
LING 426-01 Morphology Mary Moroney
The course examines the structure and definition of the linguistic unit 'word'' its typology and the relationship of the morphological component to other levels in the grammar. The course includes an introduction to analytical techniques with emphasis placed on an examination of data from a range of languages. The building blocks of words will be analyzed and topics such as affixation, reduplication and inflectional and derivational morphology will be covered. We will examine the properties of words and how they fit into the larger structure of linguistic knowledge, including the relationship between words and syntactic structure (ex., phrases and sentences) and the relationship between words and phonological structure (ex., phonological rules and prosodic structure).
Tuesday
Tuesday and Thursday
LING 445-1 Philosophy of Language Jens Kipper
General nature of language and specific puzzles about language: the nature of truth and meaning, speech acts, reference, propositional attitudes, metaphor, understanding, interpretation, indeterminacy, etc. (PHIL 110 is recommended prior to taking this course.)
LING 461-01 Constraint Based Syntax Ash Asudeh
This syntactic theory course examines syntactic phenomena from the perspective of phrase structure and lexicalist grammar as opposed to transformational grammar. The course will examine and develop phrase structure grammar (specifically Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar) approaches to standard syntactic problems, contrasting them where appropriate with transformational approaches. No background in non-transformational approaches will be assumed. This course can be taken as LIN 261 or as LIN 461 and is meant for linguistics majors and non-majors alike.
LING 460-1 Syntactic Theory Joanna Pietraszko
This course picks up where LING 420 leaves off, though focusing more on topics in natural language syntax from a cross-linguistic perspective. The goal of the course is an approach to syntax that accounts for both language-particular as well as universal constraints on language. Among the topics studied are head and phrase movement, constraints on co-reference (anaphora), elipsis, and agreement (phi features). Prerequisite: LING 420 recommended.
LING 470-1 Preserving diversity in language and culture Nadine Grimm
This class is addressed to anyone interested in fieldwork involving data collection of spoken language, including for instance linguists, anthropologists, or historians. Languages and cultures are currently disappearing on an unprecedented level due to the effects of globalization and displacement of people. Minority groups are often the most affected. As languages and cultures die, we lose entire knowledge systems and communities an integral part of their identity. This class introduces you to major techniques and tools of collecting and curating language data, using it for your research purposes, and making it useful to speech communities and other scholars. We will investigate the importance of language as a social convention from an interdisciplinary perspective, including, e.g., issues in intercultural research and ethics in fieldwork. Students will design their own projects, depending on their personal interests, and receive hands-on training in audio and video recording, time-aligned annotations, data management, and archiving.
LING 415-1 Languages of Africa Nadine Grimm
About 2,000 of the world’s 7,000 languages are spoken in Africa. The diversity that characterizes these languages is exceptional, but little known to non-specialists. In this course, we will learn about the languages of Africa: the diversity of their linguistic structures (including famous features that are found nowhere else, e.g. click consonants), their history and the history of their speakers (from ca 10,000 BP to the (post-) colonial period), and their cultural contexts, among other topics. We will explore the wealth and diversity of African cultures through the lens of language. This course also incorporates a variety of other disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, history, archaeology, human genetics, as well as the arts, to bring to light the variety of institutions, norms, and social practices produced by African societies which have historically been excluded from dominant cultural narratives. The focus will be on the role played by language in these institutions, norms and practices, and their representation. This course has no prerequisites and is open to anyone with an interest in African languages or the African continent.
LING 405-1 Introduction to Historical Linguistics Maya Abtahian
This course is designed to give an introduction to the principles of linguistic variation and change, and to examine their practical application in the interdisciplinary subfields of historical linguistics and historical sociolinguistics. Topics covered include diachrony and synchrony, genetic relations, the comparative method and language classification, sound change, morphological, syntactic and semantic change, borrowing, types of language contact, areal linguistics, and linguistic variation and social stratification.s
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday