Courses

In This Section: Undergraduate Courses; Graduate & Other Undergraduate Courses

2009-2010 Courses at a Glance

Autumn 2009 Timeschedules

Undergraduate Courses

Introduction to Linguistics
20001. This course offers a brief survey of how linguists analyze the structure and the use of language. Looking at the structure of language means understanding what phonemes, words, and sentences are, and how each language establishes principles for the combinations of these things and for their use; looking at the use of language means understanding the ways in which individuals and groups use language to declare their social identity and the ways in which languages can change over time. The overarching theme is understanding what varieties of language structure and use are found across the world's languages and cultures, and what limitations on this variety exist. John Goldsmith, Winter. Staff, Spring.

Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology
20101. PQ: LING 20001. This course is an introduction to the study of speech sounds and their patterning in the world’s languages. The first half of the course will focus on how speech sounds are described with respect to their articulatory, acoustic, and perceptual structures. There are lab exercises both in phonetic transcription and in the acoustic analysis of speech sounds. The second half will focus on fundamental notions that have always been central to phonological analysis and that transcend differences between theoretical approaches: contrast, neutralization, natural classes, distinctive features, and basic phonological processes (e.g., assimilation). Alan Yu, Autumn.

Introduction to Syntax
20201. PQ: LING 20001. This course is an introduction to basic goals and methods of current syntactic theory through a detailed analysis of a range of phenomena, with emphasis on argumentation and empirical justification. Major topics include phrase structure and constituency, selection and subcategorization, argument structure, case, voice, expletives, and raising and control structures. Greg Kobele, Spring.

Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics
20301. PQ: LING 20001. This is a course designed to familiarize undergraduate students with what it means to study meaning and use in natural language. By "meaning" we refer to the (for the most part, logical) content of words, constituents, and sentences (semantics), and by "use" we intend to capture how this content is implemented in discourse, and what kinds of additional dimensions of meaning may then arise (pragmatics). Students are introduced to some of the core empirical phenomena that have to do with meaning: lexical (i.e. word) meaning, reference, quantification, logical inferencing, presupposition, implicature, context sensitivity, crosslinguistic variation, speech acts. The main goals are not only to familiarize with the basic topics in semantics and pragmatics, but also to help students develop basic skills in semantic analysis and argumentation. Anastasia Giannakidou, Winter

Graduate & Other Undergraduate Courses

Biological & Cultural Evolution
11100. (= BIOS 29286, BPRO 23900, CHSS 37900, HIPS 23900, NCDV 27400, PHIL 32500). PQ: Third- or fourth-year standing or consent of instructor. Core background in evolution and genetics strongly recommended. This course draws on readings and examples from linguistics, evolutionary genetics, and the history and philosophy of science. We elaborate theory to understand and model cultural evolution, as well as to explore analogies, differences, and relations to biological evolution. We also consider basic biological, cultural, and linguistic topics and case studies from an evolutionary perspective. Time is spent both on what we do know, and on determining what we don't. Salikoko Mufwene, Willimam Wimsatt, Winter.

Language and Communication
20150/30150. This course is a complement to the Introduction to Linguistics sequence. It can also be taken as an alternative to it by those students who are not majoring in Linguistics but are interested in learning something about language. It covers a selection from the following topics: What is the position of spoken language in the usually multimodal forms of communication among humans? In what ways does spoken language differ from signed language? What features make spoken and signed language linguistic? What features distinguish linguistic means of communication from animal communication? How do humans communicate with animals? From an evolutionary point of view, how can we account for the fact that spoken language is the dominant mode of communication in all human communities around the world? Why cannot animals really communicate linguistically? What do the terms language "acquisition" and "transmission" really mean? What factors account for differences between "language acquisition" by children and by adults? What does it mean to be a bilingual? Are children really perfect "language acquirers"? What factors bring about language evolution, including language loss and the emergence of new language varieties? What is language contact and what are its manifestations? This is a general education course without any prerequisites. Salikoko Mufwene, Autumn

Topics in Japanese Grammar
27960. A central hypothesis of contemporary linguistic theory is that all human languages conform to a universal design. However, when we look closely at particular languages, we see a great deal of diversity. The goal of this course is to consider universality and language specificity through a detailed investigation of grammatical phenomena in Japanese with relevant comparison to English and other languages. The topics to be dealt with include: word order and scrambling, reflexives, indeterminate pronouns, scalar expressions, deixis, information structure and honorifics. We will also consider the relation between language and thought. Osamu Sawada, Autumn.

Phonological Analysis-1
30101. This course is an introduction to the general principles of phonology as a discipline. The course begins with an introduction to the study of the speech sounds used in the world's languages with an emphasis on their articulatory, acoustic, and perceptual structures. Building upon this foundation, the principles of phonological analysis are illustrated with emphasis on fundamental notions that transcend differences between theoretical approaches: contrast, neutralization, natural classes, distinctive features, and basic phonological processes (e.g., assimilation). We focus on generative phonology, both "classical" and autosegmental models, with brief discussion of optimality theory. Jason Riggle, Winter

Phonological Analysis-2
30102. PQ: LING 30101. This course is a continuation of Phonological Analysis 1 focusing on topics of current interest in phonological theory. Topics vary. Alan Yu, Spring

Syntactic Analysis-1
30201. This course is an introduction to basic goals and methods of current syntactic theory through a detailed analysis of a range of phenomena, with emphasis on argumentation and empirical justification. Major topics include phrase structure and constituency, selection and subcategorization, argument structure, case, voice, expletives, and raising and control structures. Karlos Arregi, Autumn

Syntactic Analysis-2
30202. PQ: LING 30201. This course is a continuation of Syntactic Analysis-1. It expands our examination of the locality of various syntactic dependencies, especially the nature of unbounded dependencies in a wide variety of languages. Topics include A'-movement and nonmovement in interrogatives, relatives, and comparatives, partial wh-movement, wh-expletives, resumptivity, islands (selective and strong), reconstruction effects, intervention effects, and the nature of successive cyclic movement. The course will have a strong cross-linguistic aspect to it, examining data from Korean, Irish, Hungarian, Turkish, Tzotzil, Swahili, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages, Chamorro and other Austronesian languages, and varieties of Arabic, among others. Jason Merchant, Winter.

Semantics and Pragmatics-1
30301. This is the second in a two-course sequence designed to provide a foundation in the scientific study of all aspects of linguistic meaning. The second quarter focuses on the syntax-semantics interface and cross-linguistic semantics. The class will introduce in detail a theory of the way in which the meaning of complex linguistic expressions is formed compositionally from the meaning of constituent parts, and the interaction of semantic and syntactic composition. This theory will form the basis for exploring some empirical questions about the systematicity of cross-linguistic variation in the encoding of meaning. Chris Kennedy, Autumn.

Semantics and Pragmatics-2
30302. This is the second in a two-course sequence designed to provide a foundation in the scientific study of all aspects of linguistic meaning. The second quarter focuses on the syntax-semantics interface and cross-linguistic semantics. The class will introduce in detail a theory of the way in which the meaning of complex linguistic expressions is formed compositionally from the meaning of constituent parts, and the interaction of semantic and syntactic composition. This theory will form the basis for exploring some empirical questions about the systematicity of cross-linguistic variation in the encoding of meaning. Itamar Francez, Winter

Morphology
21000/31000. (=ANTH 37500). Looking at data from a wide range of languages, we will study the structure of words. We will consider the nature of the elements out of which words are built and the principles that govern their combination. The effects of word structure on syntax, semantics, and phonology will be examined. We will think critically about the concepts of morpheme, inflection, derivation, and indeed, the concept of word itself. Jerry Sadock, Spring.

Language in Culture I, II
31100, 31200 (=ANTH 37201, 37202, ISHU 35400) PQ: Consent of instructor. Must be taken in sequence. This two-quarter course presents the major issues in linguistics of anthropological interest. Among topics discussed in the first half of the sequence are the formal structure of semiotic systems, the ethnographically crucial incorporation of linguistic forms into cultural systems, and the methods for empirical investigation of "functional" semiotic structure and history. The second half of the sequence takes up basic concepts in sociolinguistics and their critique. We then discuss topics such as the linguistic analysis of publics, performance and ritual, and language ideologies. Staff, Winter, Spring.

Historical Linguistics
21300/31300. PQ: LING 20600/30600 & LING 20800/30800 or consent of instructor. This course deals with the issue of variation and change in language. Topics include types, rates, and explanations of change; the differentiation of dialects and languages over time; determination and classification of historical relationships among languages, and reconstruction of ancestral stages; parallels with cultural and genetic evolutionary theory; and implications for the description and explanation of language in general. Yaroslav Gorbachov, Spring

Languages of the World
23900/33900. A nontechnical general survey of human languages, examining their diversity and uniformity across space and time. Major topics include language families and historical relationships, linguistic typology and language universals, sound and structural features of the world's languages, and writing systems. Staff, Spring.

Language, Power, and Identity in Southeastern Europe: A Linguistics View of the Balkan Crisis
27200/37200. (=ANTH 27400/37400, HUMA 27400, SLAV 23000/33000) This course familiarizes students with the linguistic histories and structures that have served as bases for the formation of modern Balkan ethnic identities and that are being manipulated to shape current and future events. The course is informed by the instructor's thirty years of linguistic research in the Balkans as well as his experience as an adviser for the United Nations Protection Forces in Former Yugoslavia and as a consultant to the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Crisis Group, and other organizations. Course content may vary in response to ongoing current events. Victor Friedman, Winter.

Seminar on Grammaticization
38000. We will study how some lexical items and syntactic constructions specialize for specific grammatical functions. While critiquing some of the current literature on the subject matter, we will examine trends followed by different languages. Part of the critique will involve determining how theories of grammaticization are connected to the traditional practice of historical linguistics and what major issues arise today. Salikoko Mufwene, Winter.

A Linguistic Introduction to Swahili
38355. This course proposes a survey of sound patterns and grammatical relations in Swahili, in comparison with other Bantu languages, as well as a discussion of specific issues in Swahili linguistics. Students will be able to decode and discuss complex morphologic interactions and complex sentence structures in Swahili. They will also be able to understand and produce elementary sentences in Swahili, through a variety of translation and sentence building exercises. Fidele Mpiranya, Spring.

Seminar in Semantics
Topic: Worlds and Times
Itamar Francez, Autumn.

42100. The notions of possibility and necessity are closely tied with temporality. In this seminar we will attempt to gain insight into this semantic nexus through an examination of temporality and modality in natural language. Analysis of particular linguistic phenomena will lead into formal considerations about the nature of, and relation between, the two formal constructs ubiquitous in linguistic and philosophical semantics in this context: worlds and times. The empirical topics covered will include at least the following: temporal dimensions of modal expressions, modal dimensions of temporal expressions such as 'before' and 'after', and temporality in conditionals and counterfactuals. (Depending on time and interest, additional topics such as the progressive, the future and imperatives might be added.) These topics will give rise to questions regarding the interrelation between temporal reference and type of modality, certainty and the asymmetry between the future and the past, and the compositional makeup of various constructions. The literature will draw from linguistics as well as philosophy. The basics of modal and temporal logic will be introduced, as well as WxT frames and branching time.

Seminar in Semantics
Topic: Indefinites
Anastasia Giannakidou, Spring.

42100. In this class we examine the structure, meaning, and scope of expressions known as "indefinites". Indefinites include: nominals preceded by (a) the indefinite article; (b) so-called weak determiners-- such as "some", "few", "many", and cardinals such as "one", "three" etc. ; (c) polarity determiners like "any"; (d) bare nominals. We compare the various scopings and structure of such items and interactions among them, and address key components in the discussion of their meaning such as specificity, contextual domain restriction, referential dependency, quantificational variability. We will study these in a number of languages, with main focus on English, Greek, and Spanish indefinites, and we also examine recent psycholinguistics studies that address the processing of indefinites.

Seminar in Syntax and Semantics
Topic: Balkan Syntax and Semantics

42200. PQ: Knowledge of syntax and formal semantics is required.This seminar addresses some well-studied topics in the syntax and semantics of Greek within a comparative Balkan perspective that includes (at least) Bulgarian and Albanian. The topics of interest are (in chronological order): the structure of the noun phrase, negation, negative concord and polarity, the syntax and semantics mapping of tense, aspect, and mood, mood choice and temporal specification in embedded clauses, raising and control, and comparative structures. The goal will be not only to familiarize the students with the formal properties of the structures discussed, but also to enable them appreciate how the analysis of Greek and Balkan languages can impact current theories in syntax and semantics. Anastasia Giannakidou, Autumn.

Syntax Seminar
Topic: Syntax of the Romance languages

46000. This course explores the nature of syntactic variation within and across the Romance languages, both synchronically and diachronically. I will attempt to give equal time to the major languages and to the lesser-studied varieties (especially Catalan, varieties of American Spanish, Vlach/Arumanian, and various dialects). We will concentrate on major syntactic issues, such as basic word order, agreement, clitics and clitic doubling, coordination, gender, infinitivals, wh-structures (especially relatives and comparatives), and ellipsis, as well as on issues in language contact as these apply to the syntax of these languages. Knowledge of a Romance language (or late Latin) will be useful, but is not required. Jason Merchant, Spring.

Seminar in Computational Linguistics-1
Topic: Introduction to Parsing

47600. Generative linguistics studies our ability to use language abstractly, in terms of a relation between sound and meaning, but in real life humans end up computing meaning from a sound, or vice versa. This course investigates the computational properties of algorithms that could compute morphological and syntactic analyses from strings. While the emphasis is on algorithms, connections to the psycholinguistic literature will be explored when possible. Mathematical sophistication and previous programming experience are helpful, but not required. Greg Kobele, Autumn.

Seminar in Computational Linguistics-2
Topic: Advanced Topics in Computational Linguistics

47700. This course is a continuation of the Seminar in Computational Linguistics 1, focusing on advanced issues in theoretical computational linguistics. Topics vary, but may include computational semantics and mildly context-sensitive grammar formalisms. Greg Kobele, Spring.

Linguistics Proseminar
47800.
Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Research Seminar
47900. The course aims to guide students on their research in a structured way and to present professionalization information crucial to success in the field. The course is organized largely around working on the research paper, with the goal of making it a conference-presentable and journal-publishable work. Topics covered include abstracts, publishing, handouts, presentation skills, course design, creating and maintaining a cv, cover letters, webpages, and in general everything that is required for you to successfully compete for jobs in linguistics. Jason Merchant, Winter.

Seminar in Phonology
Topic: Sociophonetics

52400. PQ: A course in phonetics and phonology or consent of instructor. Variation is a ubiquitous feature of speech, yet much of the variation observed is non-random. This seminar will examine this type of structured heterogeneity (Weinreich et al. 1968) from the point of view of sociophonetics. We will focus on the interrelationships between phonetic/phonological form and social factors such as speaking style and the background of the speaker, with a particular interest in explaining the origins and transmission of linguistic change. Our goals will be to (a) acquire the phonetic and phonological foundation necessary to conduct sociophonetic research through weekly practical exercises; (b) survey new sociolinguistic research that addresses issues in phonetic and phonological theoriesl and (c) locate and explain phonetic variation in its social context while drawing on current approaches to the relationship between language and society. Alan Yu, Autumn.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASLG)

American Sign Language I, II, III
10100-10200-10300. American Sign Language is the language of the deaf in the United States and much of Canada. It is a full-fledged autonomous language, unrelated to English or other spoken languages. This introductory course teaches the student basic vocabulary and grammatical structure, as well as aspects of deaf culture. Drucilla Ronchen. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Intermediate American Sign Language I, II, III
10400-10500-10600. PQ: LGLN 10300. In this course we continue to increase grammatical structure, receptive and expressive skills, conversational skills, basic linguistic convergence, and knowledge of idioms. Field trip required. Drucilla Ronchen. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

LANGUAGES IN LINGUISTICS (LGLN)

Introductory Modern Hebrew I, II, III
20100-20200- 20300/30100-30200-30300. (=HEBR 10501-10502-10503, JWSC 25000-25100-25200, JWSG 35000-35100-35200) This course introduces students to reading, writing, and speaking modern Hebrew. All four language skills are emphasized: comprehension of written and oral materials; reading of nondiacritical text; writing of directed sentences, paragraphs, and compositions; and speaking. Students learn the Hebrew root pattern system and the seven basic verb conjugations in both the past and present tenses, as well as simple future. At the end of the year, students can conduct short conversations in Hebrew, read materials designed to their level, and write short essays. Ariela Finkelstein. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Intermediate Modern Hebrew I, II, III
20400-20500-20600/30400-30500-30600. (=HEBR 20501-20502-20503, JWSC 25300-25400-25500, JWSG 35300-35400-35500) PQ: LGLN 20300/30300 or equivalent. This course is devised for students who had previously taken either modern or biblical Hebrew courses. The main objective is to provide students with the skills necessary to approach modern Hebrew prose, both fiction and nonfiction. To achieve this formidable task, students are provided with a systematic examination of the complete verb structure. Many syntactic structures are introduced, including simple clauses, and coordinate and compound sentences. At this level, students not only write and speak extensively, but are also required to analyze grammatically and contextually all of the materials assigned. Ariela Finkelstein. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Advanced Modern Hebrew I, II, III
23000-23100-23200/33000-33100-33200. (=HEBR 30501-30502-30503, JWSC 25600-25700-25800, JWSG 35600-35700-35800) PQ: LGLN 20600/30600 or equivalent. This course assumes that students have full mastery of the grammatical and lexical content at the intermediate level. However, there is a shift from a reliance on the cognitive approach to an emphasis on the expansion of various grammatical and vocabulary-related subjects. Students are introduced to sophisticated and more complex syntactic constructions, and instructed how to transform simple sentences into more complicated ones. The exercises address the creative effort on the part of the student, and the reading segments are longer and more challenging in both style and content. The language of the texts reflects the literary written medium rather than the more informal spoken style, which often dominates the introductory and intermediate texts. Yadgar, Liran. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Elementary Georgian 1-2-3
22100-22200-22300/32100-32200-32300. This course introduces students to Modern Georgian grammar primarily through reading exercises that relate to Georgian historical, social, and literary traditions. Supplemental activities that encourage writing, speaking, and listening skills are also included in this course. Tamra Wysocki. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Intermediate Georgian 1-2-3
22400-22500-2260/32400-32500-32600. This course reviews and reinforces the grammar principles presented in Elementary Georgian through the reading and analysis of selected texts written by influential Georgian authors and poets. Additional class exercises are provided to
strengthen listening and speaking skills. Tamra Wysocki. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

From Indo-European to Old Church Slavonic
32001. Essentials of Slavic historical grammar with emphasis on the evolution of Proto-Slavic verbal and nominal morphology. Prerequisite: Some acquaintance with either Old Church Slavonic or Indo-European. Yaroslav Gorbachov

Old Church Slavonic
25100/35100. (=SLAV 22000/32000) PQ: Knowledge of another Slavic language or good knowledge of one or two other old Indo-European languages required; SLAV 20100/30100 recommended. This course is an introduction to the language of the oldest Slavic texts. It begins with a brief historical overview of the relationship of Old Church Slavonic to Common Slavic and the other Slavic languages. This is followed by a short outline of Old Church Slavonic inflectional morphology. The remainder of the course is spent in the reading and grammatical analysis of original texts in Cyrillic or Cyrillic transcription of the original Glagolitic. Victor Friedman, Winter.

Structure of Lak
26500/36500. (=EEUR 24600/34600) PQ: Students should be familiar with the basics of linguistics. Knowledge of Russian a plus but not required. Lak is a Northeast Caucasian language spoken by over 100,000 people, mostly in the central highlands of Daghestan. It is characterized by a four-way series of stop oppositions, phanyngealized vowels, unusually complex declension, a five-way deictic opposition, four noun classes, agreement markers on any part of speech, a complex verbal system, interesting uses of agreement and cliticization to express focus, evidentiality, and other categories, complex case-marking strategies, and much more. This course will give an overview of Lak grammar focusing on the basic structures and interesting phenomena. Victor Friedman, Spring.

SWAHILI (SWAH)

Swahili I, II, III
25200-25300-25400/35200-35300-35400. This course is designed to help students acquire communicative competence in Swahili and a basic understanding of its structures. Through a variety of exercises, students develop both oral and writing skills. Fidele Mpiranya. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Intermediate Swahili I,II
26800-26900/36800-36900. PQ: SWAH 25400/35400 or consent of instructor. This course is focused on broadening students' listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students are trained in using sophisticated sentence structures and expression of complex ideas in Swahili. They are assigned advanced readings and essay writing based on their own interests. Fidele Mpiranya. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

The Department of Linguistics

Division of the Humanities | The University of Chicago