Undergraduate Program

This course introduces how language is used and perceived to mark social  characteristics of an individual or group of individuals. We will examine how social identity is constructed linguistically, which linguistic cues are used consciously to denote different social identities, and how most linguistic cues delineating social groups are below conscious awareness. Topics include: prescriptive and descriptive perspectives of language, dialects, accents, language standardization, language and dialect contact, and linguistic profiling. 

Location

(MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

Water is on track to be the most pressing environmental issue in the upcoming decades. But beyond its physical substance, what is water? How do we understand its value in our lives? Who controls it? This course will focus on the language and landscape of water, its geography and physical presence on the landscape, to examine how languages shape our actions, understanding and knowledge of what water is in human communities. In the course we’ll examine indigenous points of view around water in the Americas and in Australia and how they embody themselves in their landscapes in relation to water. We’ll examine the language of issues such as access to water, and water rights and the concept of ownership of water. We’ll focus on case studies of current communities coping with the value and role of water in their communities. We’ll touch on aspects of the geography of water: aquifers, rivers, water sources, and practices such as irrigation and mapping to understand the ways that languages embody us in place, using as tools linguistic concepts such place names and toponyms, spacial orientations. The goal of the seminar is to build a base for an informed understanding of how knowledge is coded in languages, and shapes concepts and environmental practices.The course will consist of readings, films and discussion, and final project.

Location

(MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM)

This course introduces students to the study of the structure of human language. We will cover the six core areas of linguistic investigation: Phonetics (articulation, acoustics, and perception of speech sounds), Phonology (sound patterns), Morphology (internal structure of words and their organization in the mental lexicon), Syntax (internal structure of phrases and sentences), Semantics (word and sentence meaning), and Pragmatics (language use in context). The course focuses on developing skills in the areas of linguistic data analysis and interpretation of linguistic data in ways that aim to address theoretical and empirical issues in the study of language. In addition to the lecture students will need to register for a peer-led workshop.

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Peer led workshop for LING 110-2.

Location

(M 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

Peer led workshop for LING 110-2.

Location

(R 6:15PM - 7:30PM)

Peer led workshop for LING 110-2.

Location

(F 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

Peer-led workshop for 110-2

Location

(F 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

Peer-led workshop for 110-2

Location

(F 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

This course introduces students to the study of the structure of human language. We will cover the six core areas of linguistic investigation: Phonetics (articulation, acoustics, and perception of speech sounds), Phonology (sound patterns), Morphology (internal structure of words and their organization in the mental lexicon), Syntax (internal structure of phrases and sentences), Semantics (word and sentence meaning), and Pragmatics (language use in context). The course focuses on developing skills in the areas of linguistic data analysis and interpretation of linguistic data in ways that aim to address theoretical and empirical issues in the study of language. In addition to the lecture students will need to register for a peer-led workshop.

Location

(TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Required peer-led workshop for LING 110-1.

Location

(W 6:15PM - 7:30PM)

Peer-led workshop for LING 110-1.

Location

(R 9:40AM - 10:55AM)

Required peer-led workshop for LING 110-1.

Location

(R 4:50PM - 6:05PM)

Required peer-led workshop for LING 110-1.

Location

(F 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

Required peer-led workshop for LING 110-1.

Location

(F 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Peer led workshop for LING 110-2

Location

(M 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

This course is a comprehensive review of the grammar of Modern Standard English. The course will be of interest to those who wish to sharpen their language skills, or to know more about the workings of the English language whether for practical, cognitive or creative ends. Drawing on work in mostly pre-theoretical, descriptive linguistics this course reveals the mechanics of Standard English structure, with occasional detours into the finesse of usage across registers (dialect to slang). Students will learn to develop the ability to see patterns in grammar, as well as its structural possibilities and limits. Assignments will regularly involve reflection on form, usage and speaker judgments. Through a final project, students will investigate some aspect of an English variety available to them. Throughout, students will be working with their data samples of English to explore how speaker choices lead to particular grammatical structures or yield ungrammaticality. Background in linguistics or grammar not needed.

Location

(MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

This course looks at key ideas in linguistics, starting in Babylon and Ancient China and working towards the study of meaning in modern linguistic theory and philosophy of language. Among the topics we will look at are: writing and its influence on grammatical traditions; the advent of historical linguistics, linguistic phylogeny, and the comparative method; European structuralism; American structuralism; variation within and across languages; the rise of generative grammar; Chomskys philosophy of linguistics, including competence and I-language; literal meaning and beyond. Students will be expected to read a selection of primary literature and participate actively in class discussion. The course will be assessed by essays (essay questions and reading lists for each essay to be provided). Prerequisites: LING 110 & LING 210 OR LING 220

Location

(TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

This course looks at key ideas in linguistics, starting in Babylon and Ancient China and working towards the study of meaning in modern linguistic theory and philosophy of language. Among the topics we will look at are: writing and its influence on grammatical traditions; the advent of historical linguistics, linguistic phylogeny, and the comparative method; European structuralism; American structuralism; variation within and across languages; the rise of generative grammar; Chomskys philosophy of linguistics, including competence and I-language; literal meaning and beyond. Students will be expected to read a selection of primary literature and participate actively in class discussion. The course will be assessed by essays (essay questions and reading lists for each essay to be provided). Prerequisites: LING 110 & LING 210 OR LING 220

Location

(TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Wes hal! England prior to the Norman Conquest i(1066 c.e.) produced King Alfred, Beowulf and stunning poetry and prose, written at a time when Engla-lond fought for its cultural and political status in the British Isles. We’ll explore the sublime, mystical, medical, and earthy writings of England: Wonders of the East, comets, portents, medicinal charms, riddles, the Paternoster and the Devil, maps, visions, wolves, women, runes, cross-dressing saints. We’ll translate some texts in Old English and read others in translation, and as your lærestre (teaching servant) I’ll help you learn Old English language and vocabulary, and explore the diversity of a people who’ve been reduced to stereotype. Old English stood with Old Irish as being one of the earliest producers in the western Middle Ages of a people’s native language on manuscript. England survived invasions by the Danes and the Normans (1066) which never completely replaced its language with Danish or French, merely enriched it.  

Location

(TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

Introduces children's language development, including the acquisition of phonology, syntax, and semantics. Focuses on the acquisition of a first language by young children, comparing the acquisition of a variety of spoken and signed languages to find possible universal principles of language learning. Prerequisite: BCSC 152 or LING 110.

Location

(TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

Location

(TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

Location

(R 4:50PM - 6:05PM)

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

Location

(W 6:15PM - 7:30PM)

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

Location

(R 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

Location

(R 6:15PM - 7:30PM)

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

Location

(F 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

This course covers foundational concepts in computational linguistics and is designed for students with a strong background in formal linguistic methods but only rudimentary programming experience. Major focus is placed on the use of formal languages as a tool for understanding natural language as well as on developing students' ability to implement foundational algorithms pertaining to those formal languages. Topics include basic formal language theory, finite state phonological and morphological parsing, and syntactic parsing for context free grammars and mildly context sensitive formalisms.

Students who have taken the CSC17X series should consult with the instructor prior to enrollment, since there is overlap with a subset of the technical material covered in those courses. Conversely, while it is possible to enter this course with no programming experience and do well, students new to programming may wish to take CSC161 or to attend a CIRC programming bootcamp prior to taking this course.

Prerequisite: LING 110

Location

(MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

This course covers foundational concepts in computational linguistics and is designed for students with a strong background in formal linguistic methods but only rudimentary programming experience. Major focus is placed on the use of formal languages as a tool for understanding natural language as well as on developing students' ability to implement foundational algorithms pertaining to those formal languages. Topics include basic formal language theory, finite state phonological and morphological parsing, and syntactic parsing for context free grammars and mildly context sensitive formalisms. Students who have taken the CSC17X series should consult with the instructor prior to enrollment, since there is overlap with a subset of the technical material covered in those courses. Conversely, while it is possible to enter this course with no programming experience and do well, students new to programming may wish to take CSC161 or to attend a CIRC programming bootcamp prior to taking this course.

Location

(F 9:00AM - 10:15AM)

This course is intended to provide participants with an overview of research in an area of phonetics and phonology. Issues vary from term to term but may cover areas in segmental, metrical and intonational phonology and the phonology/phonetics interface. Prerequisites: LING 110, LING 210

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

An examination of signed languages and the cognitive constraints that shape them, through a detailed consideration of the structure of American Sign Language and other natural signed languages of the world. Includes training in sign language notation and analysis. Prerequisites: ASL 106 in the immediately preceding semester or permission of the instructor. B or better in ASL 106.

Location

(MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

This introductory course in Natural Language Processing (NLP) explores the AI techniques enabling computers to understand and communicate with humans. Divided into four main sections—Statistical NLP, Neural NLP, Foundation Models, and Advanced Topics—the curriculum covers essential language tasks, from syntax and semantics to complex applications like question answering. We'll also touch on current trends in Large Language Models, such as emergent abilities and human-alignment techniques. Ideal for those interested in the intersection of AI and language, the course tackles challenges at the word, sentence, and document levels. Prereqs: CSC 172 & CSC 242

Location

(MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

This course addresses linguistic research questions through data science techniques. The course will focus on developing skills to (i) acquire and process a variety of language data, from using established corpora to capturing data in the wild, and (ii) to investigate language use, particularly syntactic and semantic phenomena, through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. A significant part of the course will be devoted to hands-on projects and will include developing familiarity with using the programming languages Python and R to acquire and explore linguistic data. Familiarity with statistics and/or computational linguistics is advantageous, but not necessary.

Location

(MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM)

This course is an in-depth introduction to the formal analysis of natural language meaning, employing techniques that have been developed in language and formal philosophy over the last century. Issues include intensionality, quantification, tense, presupposition, plurality, the analysis of discourse, and other current issues. Familiarity with syntax, logic, and/or computation are helpful.

Location

(TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)

This course is an in-depth introduction to the formal analysis of natural language meaning, employing techniques that have been developed in language and formal philosophy over the last century. Issues include intensionality, quantification, tense, presupposition, plurality, the analysis of discourse, and other current issues. Familiarity with syntax, logic, and/or computation are helpful.

Location

(TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)

Within theoretical linguistics, pragmatics is (broadly speaking) the study of how language users convey meaning. This course covers three general areas: (1) How meaning carried by linguistic elements (such as sentences) interacts with meaning that arises from inferences about speakers intentions; (2) Ways of characterizing meaning, especially with respect to linguistic elements not easily handled in traditional semantic (i.e., truth-conditional) terms; (3) The role of context in determining meaning. Topics to be discussed include the relation between semantics and pragmatics, representations of context, truth-conditional and other types of meaning, presupposition; implicature and Grices Cooperative Principl

Location

(MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

This course covers topics at the interface of syntax and semantics. No specific syntax or semantics background is required, though the equivalent of LIN 220 is recommended.

Location

(MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM)

This is a hands-on class which allows you to work with a language consultant with the goal of writing a grammar sketch or a short research paper. At the end of this course, you will have acquired methods and techniques to describe a language not known to you previously. This includes recording and collection of data, data processing and analysis. The class is an opportunity to apply the knowledge of linguistic theory that you acquired during your major in linguistic research on an unfamiliar language. Another focus of this course is training in grammar writing skills. Ultimately, this course provides you with a solid basis to do fieldwork for language description and linguistic research in your own in the future. Prerequisites: LING 110, LING 210, LING 220, LING 225

Location

(MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

This is a hands-on class which allows you to work with a language consultant with the goal of writing a grammar sketch or a short research paper. At the end of this course, you will have acquired methods and techniques to describe a language not known to you previously. This includes recording and collection of data, data processing and analysis. The class is an opportunity to apply the knowledge of linguistic theory that you acquired during your major in linguistic research on an unfamiliar language. Another focus of this course is training in grammar writing skills. Ultimately, this course provides you with a solid basis to do fieldwork for language description and linguistic research in your own in the future.

Location

(TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

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Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

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Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

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( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)