Objectives

The concentration in linguistics and cognitive science is designed to give students a foundation in the theory of language and its relation to allied fields of inquiry. The concentration emphasizes the approach of generative grammar, which attempts to describe formally the nature of a speaker's knowledge of his or her native language and to place this knowledge in a psychological and biological framework. In the last 30 years, this approach to the study of language has had a profound influence on fields as diverse as philosophy, psychology, anthropology, neuroscience, and computer science, as well as the linguist's traditional concerns with modern and classical languages and with linguistic universals.

How to Become a Concentrator

In order to get the flavor of the field of linguistics, the best way to start is to take LING 100a (Introduction to Linguistics), which deals with the major concepts of the field and the technical tools used to articulate these concepts. The course also introduces students to the feel of doing research on language, through the use of numerous problem sets concerning the organization of a variety of languages.

Students wishing to concentrate or minor in linguistics and cognitive science should arrange to meet with the undergraduate advising head to discuss the planning of a program that meets their interests.

Faculty

Neurolinguistics. Psycholinguistics.

Conceptual structure. Consciousness. Spatial cognition.

Syntactic theory. Icelandic syntax. Korean syntax.

The following members of other departments are affiliated with linguistics:

James Pustejovsky (COSI), Jerry Samet (PHIL).

Requirements for Concentration

A. Ten semester courses are required of all candidates:

1. LING 100a, LING 110a, LING 120b, and LING 130a.

2. Two additional courses selected from LING 125b, 150b, 173a, 181b, and ANTH 125b.

3. Three additional courses to be chosen from the LING courses and the list of electives below. This selection must be approved by the undergraduate advisor for the concentration.

4. One advanced course in a natural language to be chosen from the following list: CHIN 105a, FREN 106b, GER 106a, HBRW 106b, ITAL 105a, JAPN 105a, RUS 106b, SPAN 105a, or SPAN 106b.

B. Honors will be awarded on successful completion of a senior thesis (LING 99d) in addition to the above course requirements. A grade point average of 3.50 or above in linguistics and cognitive science courses is normally required.

C. A grade of C or better is necessary for all courses offered toward a concentration in linguistics and cognitive science. No course offered toward the concentration requirements may be taken on a pass/fail basis.

D. Students may petition the Linguistics and Cognitive Science Concentration Committee for changes in the above program.

Requirements for the Minor in Linguistics

A. Five semester courses are required:

1. LING 100a and 120b.

2. LING 110a or 130a.

3. Any other two LING courses numbered 98 and above. Courses from the list of electives may be substituted with approval of the advisor.

B. At most, one course will be accepted as simultaneously satisfying a student's concentration requirements and the requirements of the minor in linguistics.

C. No course offered toward the minor may be taken on a pass/fail basis.

D. Students may petition the Linguistics and Cognitive Science Concentration Committee for changes in the above program (for instance, anthropology majors may want to substitute ANTH 102a for LING 100a).

Courses of Instruction

(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students

[ hum ss ]

A nontechnical introduction to the structure of English words and sentences. Classical roots of English vocabulary: word analysis, base forms, and rules of allomorphy. Basic concepts of grammar: categories (noun, adjective, adverb, etc.), functions (subject, object, modifier, etc.), phrases and clauses of various types. Consists of three class hours and one, one-hour recitation per week. Usually offered every year.

Ms. Maling

Independent reading and research under the direction of a faculty supervisor. When appropriate, a faculty member may organize a small group of students into a senior seminar. Usually offered every year.

Staff

See LING 98a for course description. Usually offered every year.

Staff

Involves the student in an independent research project under the supervision of a staff member. A student whose grade point average in linguistics is 3.50 or better may petition at the end of junior year for permission to enter this course. The student's findings are to be presented in writing and defended orally before a committee of staff members. Usually offered every year.

Staff

(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students

[ ss ]

A general introduction to linguistic theory and the principles of linguistic analysis. Students will construct detailed analyses of data from English and other languages in the areas of syntax, semantics, phonetics, and phonology and examine their implications for a theory of language as it is encoded in the human mind. Usually offered every year.

Mr. Jackendoff

[ ss ]

An introduction to generative phonology, the theory of natural language sound systems. Includes discussion of articulatory phonetics, distinctive feature theory, the concept of a "natural class," morphology and the nature of morphophonemics, and universal properties of the rules that relate morphophonemic and phonetic representations. Usually offered every second year.

Staff

[ ss ]

Extends the syntactic framework developed in the introductory course through the study of such problems as the complement system, the lexicon, and constraints, with emphasis on their relevance to universal grammar. Usually offered every second year.

Ms. Maling

[ ss ]

Advanced topics in the theory of language typology and universal grammar. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Usually offered every second year.

Mr. Jackendoff and Ms. Maling

[ hum ss ]

Explores the semantic structure of language in terms of current linguistic theory. Its goal is to use the structure of language to help discover the characteristics of human concepts. Topics include the nature of word meanings, categorization, and the semantics of spatial and possessional expressions. Usually offered every second year.

Mr. Jackendoff

[ ss ]

Considers how the mind is structured to represent and process information of relevance to language and other cognitive domains. Usually offered every year.

Mr. Zurif

[ ss ]

Explores the nature of conscious awareness and its relation to the mind and body. After going through the philosophical history of the mind-body problem, we will discuss the role of consciousness in cognitive science. Usually offered every second year.

Mr. Jackendoff

[ ss ]

An introduction to modern psycholinguistics, with an emphasis on sentence comprehension and production. Questions concerning species-specificity and the neurological organization of language are included for consideration. Usually offered every year.

Mr. Zurif

[ ss ]

In order for an organism to behave socially, it must have internalized knowledge of the distinctions and options available for social and cultural interaction. This course explores the character of such knowledge, drawing on literature in ethology and evolutionary psychology and on parallels with linguistics. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of 1998.

Mr. Jackendoff

Prerequisite: LING 120b and/or LING 130a. May be repeated for credit with special permission. Intended primarily for upperclass concentrators, but open to other qualified students. Signature of the instructor required.

Topics include the relation of spatial cognition to spatial language and the acquisition of the lexicon. Usually offered every second year.

Mr. Jackendoff

[ ss ]

The central problem of language acquisition is to explain what makes this formidable task possible. We will study theories of language acquisition, basing our conclusions on recent research in the development of syntax, semantics, and phonology. The overall goal is to arrive at a coherent picture of the language learning process. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 2000.

Staff

[ ss ]

Usually offered every year.

Staff

[ ss ]

Usually offered every year.

Staff

Elective Courses

The following courses are approved for the program. Not all are given in any one year. Please consult the Course Schedule each semester.

An Anthropological Introduction to Language

Investigations in an Unfamiliar Language

Language, Ethnicity, and Nationalism

Culture and Cognition

Social and Cultural Aspects of Linguistic Analysis

Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence

Introduction to Old Norse

The Revival of Hebrew

Applied Linguistics: Language Teaching Methodology

Comparative Grammar of Semitic Languages

Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience

Human Neuropsychology

"Innateness"

Topics in Logic

Topics in Philosophy and Cognitive Science

Perception

Seminar in the Neuropsychology of Language