For students interested in…
Getting started in linguistics
LING 1069 – Bad Words and Taboo Terms (Linguistics Foundation Course option for major, fulfills HF) - This Foundation Course is an introduction to linguistic study through the lens
of taboo language, a pervasive part of all languages. Surveys topics in modern linguistics
by studying taboos in various languages. Students sensitive to obscene words are discouraged
from enrolling, as are students with only a prurient, non-scholarly interest in taboo
language. [Typically offered fall, spring, and summer]
LING 1200 – Introduction to the Study of Language (Linguistics Foundation Course option for major, Introductory course for minor, TESOL
Certificate course, fulfills HF) - The Foundation Course is an introduction to the nature of human language from
the perspective of modern linguistics. Focuses on sounds, words, and sentences through
analysis of data from various languages. Additional topics may include: social and
geographic variation, language change through time, first- and second-language acquisition,
language and culture. [Typically offered fall, spring, and summer]
LING 3050 – Cruciverbalism: Crosswords and Language (Fulfills BF) - This course examines crossword puzzles and the structure of language with the
goal of exploring the relationships between them. It centers around solving and constructing
crossword and related puzzle types, as well as the linguistics systems that make this
kind of puzzle possible. Topics include the exploitation of semantic and syntactic
ambiguity to make challenging puzzles, the ways English sound patterns make constructing
puzzles difficult, properties of language that can facilitate solving puzzles, and
how crosswords vary across languages.
LING 3475 – Language Myths (fulfills BF and QB) - This course investigates popular beliefs about language and discusses the perspective
of modern linguistics concerning those beliefs. [Typically offered fall, spring,
and summer]
LING 4170 – Biolinguistics - This course looks at how language and biology interact. The topics discussed in class
include how human language emerged, patterns found in human languages as well as elsewhere
in the natural world, and animal communication systems.
Philosophy, language & cognition
LING 4160 – Language and Cognition (fulfills HF) - Introduction to linguistic perspectives and concerns in cognitive science. Emphasis
on notions of universals of language and the biological basis of language structure.
LING 5031 – Philosophy and Linguistics (prerequisites: LING 3160, or LING 5030 or PHIL 3400) - Meets with LING 6031. Survey
of traditional and contemporary problems related to language as these are studied
in linguistics and philosophy. The emphasis in the course will be on meaning and reference.
Topics may include discussion of the relationships between semantic theory and philosophy
and language, how language refers to the world, questions of representation of mental
content, conversational implicature and its effect on communication, demonstratives
and names, and the relationship between theories of mental structure and theories
of meaning.
The history of language
LING 3066 – Origins of English Words (Fulfills HF) - In this course students acquire familiarity with basic techniques of determining
the probable origins of any given word, native or borrowed, in the English language.
Includes an exploration of the stories (cultural, social, and political) that many
words have to tell.
LING 4130 – Introduction to Historical Linguistics (fulfills HF, prerequisite: LING foundations course) - Historical linguistics is about how and why
languages change. This course is a hands-on introduction to historical linguistics.
Students learn not only the fundamental contents and methods of historical linguistics,
but also how to do historical linguistics by working through exercise involving a
variety of languages. Meets with LING 6130.
Language, culture & society
LING 3220 – World Englishes (TESOL Certificate course, fulfills IR) The purpose of this course is to investigate the spread of English as an international
language: its historical development, socio-cultural diversity and linguistics variation.
In addition to numerous readings on native and non-narrative varieties of English,
which can be found throughout the world (e.g., Indian English, Singaporean English,
Chicano English, etc.), topics related to educational linguistics within a World Englishes
paradigm will also be addressed in order to better understand common pedagogical problems
and concerns related to the English language teaching in international contexts. [Typically
offered fall, spring, and summer]
LING 3470 – Language and Culture (Fulfills HF and IR) - This course discusses ways a human language reflects the ways of life and beliefs
of its speakers, contrasted with extent of language's influence on culture. Wide variety
of cultures and languages examined. [Typically offered fall, spring, and summer]
LING 3480 - Language and Social Justice (Fulfills HF) - This course examines the role of language in social justice. Employing methodological
approaches from the field of Linguistics, the course will explore topics such as standard
and non-standard varieties, accent bias, minority language rights and policies, educational
access and immersion/bilingual education, signed languages, pidgins and creoles, and
language death. Students will analyze how language attitudes can translate to societal
power and privilege, and discrimination, and explore how language inequity manifests
itself in their immediate environment, and different societies, including examples
from different communities and societies around the world.
LING 3600 – Cross Cultural Communication (fulfills DV and HF) - Brings together native and non-native speakers of English to explore the theory
and practice of communication across languages and cultures. [Typically offered fall,
spring, and summer]
LING 4040 – Introduction to Sociolinguistics - Meets with LING 6040. Theoretical principles governing social and linguistic variation,
and the methodology used to study it. How speech is affected by age, sex, socioeconomic
class, ethnicity, and regional background, and the political/educational implications,
all with a focus on the United States.
LING 4150 – Forensic Linguistics - This course will present an overview of forensic linguistics with an emphasis on
the areas where linguistics and the law intersect. We will especially focus on the
nature of legal language, language and disadvantage before the law, the expression
of defendants' rights, linguistic methods applied to statutory interpretation, and
the role of language in the legal process.
The sounds of language
LING 4010 – Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology (required for Linguistics Major, required for Linguistics Minor, prerequisite: LING
foundation course) - Analysis of speech sounds of the world's languages, with a focus
on both their articulatory and acoustic properties. An introduction to phonetic alphabets,
including practice in transcribing a variety of language samples. Analysis of the
systematic organization of speech sounds in the worlds languages, with reference to
features and rule-based explanations of phonological phenomena. [Typically offered
fall and spring]
LING 5011 – Intermediate Phonetics and Phonology (required for Linguistics minor, prerequisite: LING 4010) - An introduction to subcomponents
of nonlinear phonology: syllable phonology, prosodic and metrical phonology, autosegmental
phonology, and feature geometry. Also treated are phonological interfaces with morphology
and syntax, and preliminary comparisons between rule-based and constraint-based models
of phonology. Includes an exploration of the phonetic bases for phonological generalizations,
as well as the phonetic detail of their expression.
The structure and meaning of language
LING 4020 - Introduction to Syntax (required for Linguistics major, required for Linguistics minor, prerequisite: LING
foundation course) Introduction to the structure and organization of phrases and clauses
in natural language. A scientific approach to an empirically motivated theory of syntax.
Students learn terminology, problem-solving, logical argumentation, and its presentation.
[Typically offered fall and spring]
LING 5021 – Intermediate Syntax (required for Linguistics minor, prerequisite: LING 4020) - Groundwork in a modular,
constraint-based approach to syntactic competence. Focus on case-assignment, thematic
roles, movement, coreference, empty categories, and levels of representation.
LING 5022 – Advanced Syntax (prerequisite: LING 4021) - Seminar using recent papers and book-chapters from the
primary literature in theoretical syntax. Students develop ideas and a bibliography
for their own research papers.
LING 5030 – Semantics (prerequisite: LING 4020) – Introduction to the study of meaning of phrases and clauses.
Meets with LING 6030.
How languages are learned and processed
LING 5024 – Child Language Acquisition (prerequisite: LING foundation course) - Meets with LING 6024. Nature and acquisition
of child grammar, from experimental and theoretical perspectives.
LING 5190 – Psycholinguistics (prerequisite: LING foundation course) - This course surveys core issues in the field
of psycholinguistics. Throughout the course we will study how humans understand and
produce language in real-time and how these complex abilities develop in infants and
adults second-language learners. Topics may include, sounds (categories and speech
perception), words (lexical access), sentences (structural ambiguity; dependency resolution),
and their development.
LING 5300 – Computational Linguistics (prerequisite: LING foundation course or LING 4020 or co-requisite LING 4021) Meets
with LING 6300. A survey of different subfields of computational linguistics. Topics
include information retrieval, natural language processing, machine translation, and
computer-assisted language learning. Students examine how linguistic concepts like
syntax and morphology are articulated in a computational environment for specific
purposes, such as text search. Basic programming knowledge helpful but not required.
Teaching English as a Second Language
LING 3500 – Introduction to English Grammar (TESOL Certificate course) - A descriptive overview of the forms and function of
English grammar structures with guidance in standard usage. [Typically offered fall
and spring]
LING 3510 – Grammar and Stylistics for Academic Writing (fulfills CW) - Examines common grammatical and stylistic problems from a rhetorical and functional
perspective. [Typically offered fall and spring]
LING 5233 – Pedagogical Structure of English (prerequisite: LING foundation course) Meets with LING 6233. An analysis of a broad
range of English phonetic and grammatical structures and models for teaching this
material in the ESL/EAS classroom.
LING 5810 – L2 Methodology (TESOL Certificate course, prerequisite: LING foundation course) Meets with WLC 5410.
An examination of approaches and methods in second-language teaching, as well as the
theories of language and language acquisition on which they are based. Discussion
and practice of current assessment procedures. Also a focus on educators' implicit
theories of L2 learning and teaching. Includes critiqued peer teaching. This course
is restricted to students in the TESOL certificate and Foreign Language majors and
minors. [Typically offered fall and spring]
LING 5813 – Practicum (TESOL Certificate course, prerequisite: LING 5810 or LANG 5400) - LING 5813 focuses
on the development of second and foreign language teaching skills, particularly skills
for lesson planning and delivery for different levels of language proficiency and
different contexts. To this end, the course is designed to give preservice teachers
opportunities to do the following: (1) identify indicators of effective language instruction,
(2) develop skills in observing second language (L2) classes, (3) select and/or develop
instructional activities appropriate for different levels of language proficiency
and contexts, (4) develop skills in planning lessons for L2 learners, (5) practice
teaching skills using a variety of instructional strategies, (6) incorporate constructive
criticism into lesson planning and micro-teaching demonstrations. The course has either
a 30-hour field experience requirement for LING 5813 or a 45-hour field experience
requirement for LING 6813. LING 6813 also requires that students develop a professional
e-portfolio. [Typically offered fall and spring]
LING 5818 – Second Language Test Design (prerequisite: LING 5810 or LANG 5400, and LING 1200) - An overview of the conceptual
bases of language testing and procedures for designing and developing useful language
tests.