Courses

See our searchable database below for Department of Linguistics courses from 2019-20 to 2023-24. Feel free to browse the database by academic year, subfield category of course, level of course (graduate, undergraduate, crosslisted), quarter(s) of course, or instructor to find more specific information about our course offerings, including course descriptions.

As for levels of courses: 20000-level courses are for undergraduates only; courses with both 20000 and 30000 numbers can be taken by either undergraduates or graduates; and courses with 30000, 40000, or 50000 numbers are open only to graduate students, with very few exceptions. Current students should visit my.UChicago.edu to see up-to-date scheduling information for all University of Chicago undergraduate and graduate courses and to register for courses. The "Courses at a Glance" links on the right-hand column of this page will show you the Linguistics schedule as a whole for each quarter for the 2023-24 academic year.

20001 Introduction to Linguistics

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 identities 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.

M W 12:30pm-1:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

20101 Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology

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 focuses 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 focuses 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).

T Th 11:00am-12:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

20102 Introduction To Logic

Crosslistings
PHIL 20100, HIPS 20700

An introduction to the concepts and principles of symbolic logic. We learn the syntax and semantics of truth-functional and first-order quantificational logic, and apply the resultant conceptual framework to the analysis of valid and invalid arguments, the structure of formal languages, and logical relations among sentences of ordinary discourse. Occasionally we will venture into topics in philosophy of language and philosophical logic, but our primary focus is on acquiring a facility with symbolic logic as such.

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

Paskalina Bourbon
2023-24 Autumn

20110 Perspectives On Large Language Models: Computational, Cognitive, Social

Crosslistings
COGS 20100

In this interdisciplinary course, students will delve into the multifaceted world of large language models (LLMs), investigating their computational, cognitive, and social dimensions. The course covers an array of topics, such as the history and evolution of LLMs, computational underpinnings like neural networks and training methodologies, cognitive aspects of human-like language understanding, communication, and creativity, as well as crucial ethical and social considerations, encompassing fairness, transparency, trustworthiness, and privacy. Through both lectures and discussions, we will examine the scientific and practical applications and limitations of LLMs across diverse domains and contemplate the future prospects and challenges LLMs pose for science, technology, and society. Through critical discourse, hands-on exercises, and case studies, our goal is to foster a comprehensive understanding of LLMs, empowering students to critically assess these models and contribute to ongoing dialogues regarding their broader implications. Prior experience in computer science or cognitive science is beneficial but not mandatory. Note: this course primarily focuses on cultivating reflective thinking about LLMs, rather than programming or implementation. Students with programming skills are, however, encouraged to utilize them to facilitate their learning.

M W 3:00pm-4:20pm

Yu Ji
2023-24 Autumn

27150 Chicago Linguistic Landscape

The field of Linguistic Landscapes examines the public display of languages, dialects, and writing systems: who is the author and audience of such messages? which languages are chosen for official signage? what can we learn about present or past multilingualism? what is conveyed by nonstandard dialect forms or stylized writing? In this course students will collaborate on creating an online map of Chicago with geo-tagged images. At least three weekend days will be spent on field trips to Chicago neighborhoods.

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

2023-24 Autumn

29407 Language And Politics

Why did Hillary Clinton sound “southern” in her Alabama campaign stop? How did Barack Obama’s codeswitching into African American Language affect his political image? How do the dogwhistles politicians circulate get their meanings? These are just a few examples of the kinds of questions we will discuss. In this course, we will analyze the speech of politicians as well as broader political discourses, according to sociolinguistic theory. We will explore concepts such as dogwhistles, framing theory, speech genres, audience design, and personae, while also considering the intersections of language and nationalism, and language and gender and race. Discussions will build on real-life content particularly from US and Eastern European politics, but also from other parts of the world, depending on your interests and backgrounds.  Some of the texts we will read include Alim & Smitherman’s Articulate While Black, and Macintosh & Mendoza-Denton’s Language in the Trump Era.

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

2023-24 Autumn

29408 Language And Music

Language is used in music a whole lot –from sophisticated, poetic lyrics to the nah nah nahs, it sure has a significant place. Have you wondered how exactly different pieces of languages are used in different kinds of music? Are there rules and limitations? In this class we are going to take a tour through a wide array of linguistic and musical traditions in order to try and answer that question. We will combine aspects of theoretical linguistics (specifically prosody, phonology and phonetics) and core musical concepts (pitch, melody, rhythm) to better understand how language is used in the musical world. Some of the topics that we will explore together include: tones and melody, prosody and rhythm, musical languages, the distributions of vocables, and tastes of more advance topics such as melisma and polyrhythm. We will also learn to present on musical and linguistic topics and develop a general appreciation of the unique languages and musical traditions from diverse socioeconomic, geographic and historical backgrounds. Prerequisites: Intro to Phonetics and Phonology, as well as general knowledge of music theory.

M W 4:30pm-5:50pm

2023-24 Autumn

30101 Phonological Analysis I

This course introduces cross-linguistic phonological phenomena and methods of analysis through an indepth examination of fundamental notions that transcend differences between theoretical approaches: contrast, neutralization, natural classes, distinctive features, and basic non-linear phonological processes (e.g., assimilation, harmony, dissimilation).

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

2023-24 Autumn

30301 Semantics And Pragmatics I

This is the first in a two-course sequence designed to provide a foundation in the scientific study of all aspects of linguistic meaning. The first quarter focuses primarily on pragmatics: those aspects of meaning that arise from the way that speakers put language to use, rather than through the formal properties of the linguistic system itself, which is the domain of semantics. However, a central goal of the course will be to begin to develop an understanding of the relation between pragmatics and semantics, by exploring empirical phenomena in which contextual and conventional aspects of meaning interact in complex but regular and well-defined ways, and by learning analytical techniques that allow us to tease these two aspects of linguistics meaning apart.

M W 1:30pm-2:50pm

2023-24 Autumn

30401 Psycholinguistics: Language Processing

Crosslistings
PSYC 30401

This is an advanced introduction to the field of psycholinguistics. We will do an in-depth overview of both the empirical findings and the methodologies used on various topics in language comprehension/production, including areas of speech perception, lexical processing, syntactic parsing, and semantic/pragmatic processing. Models at both the computational and the mechanistic levels will also be examined.

T Th 2:00pm-3:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

31100 Language In Culture I

Crosslistings
ANTH 37201, CHDV 37201, PSYC 47001

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.

T Th 2:00pm-3:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

21720/31720 Sociophonetics

Crosslistings
CHST 21720

Variation is a ubiquitous feature of speech, yet much of the variation observed is non-random. This class 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 practical exercises; (b) survey new sociolinguistic research that addresses issues in phonetic and phonological theories and (c) locate and explain phonetic variation in its social context while drawing on current approaches to the relationship between language and society. 

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

2023-24 Autumn

23501/33500 Language Emergence: Anthropological and Linguistic Perspectives

Crosslistings
ANTH 2/33501, CDIN 2/33500, CHDV 2/33500,

Over the past several decades, linguists and anthropologists have discovered scores of new languages emerging in communities around the world, offering unprecedented scientific opportunities to address important questions previously deemed intractable, like: Where does language come from? How do our experiences of the world influence the way our languages are structured? At what level of abstraction can language be studied as an autonomous object of analysis? Crucially we will investigate the social, demographic, environmental, linguistic, and modality (vision, speech, touch), factors that contribute to the formation of a new language. The readings will include both required foundational theoretical works and case studies of new languages that have been documented within the last ten years, which we will gather into a course resource for students to explore.

M 1:30pm-4:20pm

Diane Brentari, Terra Edwards
2023-24 Autumn

23701/33700 Crosslinguistic Perspectives On Language Development

Crosslistings
CHDV 2/33700, PSYC 2/33720

This discussion-based course covers cross-linguistic evidence concerning similarities and dissimilarities in how children learn language across diverse language communities. Each year will revolve around a central topic. This year we will focus on the acquisition of phonology.

W 1:30pm-4:20pm

Marisa Tice
2023-24 Autumn

25200/35200 Swahili I

Swahili is the most popular language of Sub-Saharan Africa, spoken in most countries of Eastern and Central Africa by more than 50 million people. Swahili is characterized by the typical complex Bantu structure. However, it is particularly easy to pronounce and fast learned. The Elementary Swahili series is designed to help students acquire communicative competence in Swahili and a basic understanding of its structures. The course presents basic phonological, grammatical, and syntactic patterns of Kiswahili. Through a variety of exercises, students develop communicative functionality in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Emphasis is put on dialogues and role-plays, individual and group presentations, and the use of audiovisual and web-based resources. Swahili culture and African culture in general are an important component of the course. At the end of the elementary course series, the students are able to communicate efficiently in everyday life situations, write and present short descriptive notes about elementary pieces of verbal creation (documentaries and video series in Swahili). This course allows fulfilling the non-Indo-European language requirement.

TTH, 11:00-12:20 PM

 

2023-24 Autumn

26520/36520 Mind, Brain And Meaning

Crosslistings
PHIL 2/36520, PSYC 2/36520, NSCI 22520, COGS 20001

What is the relationship between physical processes in the brain and body and the processes of thought and consciousness that constitute our mental life? Philosophers and others have puzzled over this question for millennia. Many have concluded it to be intractable. In recent decades, the field of cognitive science--encompassing philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and other disciplines--has proposed a new form of answer. The driving idea is that the interaction of the mental and the physical may be understood via a third level of analysis: that of the computational. This course offers a critical introduction to the elements of this approach, and surveys some of the alternative models and theories that fall within it. Readings are drawn from a range of historical and contemporary sources in philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and computer science. (B) (II)

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

Chris Kennedy, Jason Bridges, Leslie Kay
2023-24 Autumn

26800/36800 Intermediate Swahili I

Students focus on broadening their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in this course.

Day/times: TBA

2023-24 Autumn

27131/37131 Lexical Semantics

You can nail a postcard to the wall with a dart but you can’t microwave it with anything other than a microwave. This seems not to be a fact about nails and microwaves, but rather about English verbs that are derived from nouns.  Is it a random fact, or does it correlate systematically with other facts about verbs derived from nouns that a linguistic theory should account for? This class is an introduction to basic concepts and issues in the study of word meaning within theoretical linguistics. It explores grammatical regularities in word meaning, what kinds of information can be grammatically encoded by words, how the meaning of a word can determine the word’s syntactic distribution, and how it relates to the inferences people draw from the utterances in which a word occurs. The course will demonstrate that addressing questions of lexical meaning draws on the full resources of linguistic theory and methodology. 

MW 3:00pm-4:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

28345/38345 Language, Identity, And Development In Africa

With more than a quarter of the languages of humanity, the linguistic diversity of Africa represents a richness in terms of world heritage and linguistic description, but also a challenge for trans-community communication and for the integration of small minorities in larger national communities. Additionally, the persistent use of former colonial languages in most official functions may constitute an impediment, with regard to productive communication between educated elites and ordinary community members and the involvement of the latter in national development. The present course addresses these different issues in a descriptive perspective and through open discussions about potential resolutions in terms of language valorization and language planning. 

At the end of the course, the students will be able to classify African languages of wider communication in their respective families and identify key features of the latter; identify and discuss potential issues and or advantages relating to the use of those languages in connection with endogenous development of African communities.  

This is a general introductory course with no specific prerequisites. 

T Th 2:00pm-3:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

28620/38620 Computational Linguistics

Crosslistings
CMSC 35620, DIGS 38620

This course is an introduction to topics at the intersection of computation and language, oriented toward linguists and cognitive scientists. We will study computational linguistics from both scientific and engineering angles -- the use of computational modeling to address scientific questions in linguistics and cognitive science, as well as the design of computational systems to solve engineering problems in natural language processing (NLP). The course will combine analysis and discussion of these approaches with training in the programming and mathematical foundations necessary to put these methods into practice. Our goal in this quarter is for students to leave the course able to engage with and evaluate research in cognitive/linguistic modeling and NLP, and to be able to implement intermediate-level computational models.

M W 1:30pm-2:50pm

2023-24 Autumn

29406/39406 Formal Diachronic Semantics (In Hebrew And Other Languages)

The course seeks to bring together two sub-disciplines within linguistics: historical linguistics and formal semantics. Both of these sub-disciplines have evolved from distant intellectual fields: the first comes from the philological world, while the second has its origins in the world of mathematical logic. Recently, there has been a rapprochement between these fields dealing mostly with the study of changes of meaning, grammaticalization and reanalysis. This course aims to examine the research paradigms that attempt to integrate them and explore new methodologies for building bridges between them. The course will focus on examples from Hebrew, but there is no requirement of Hebrew, and studies and examples from many other languages will be provided as well. 

M W 3:00pm-4:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

40310 Experimental Methods

This course will cover the basic methods for experimental studies, including experimental design, data collection and statistical analysis. To demonstrate different design and analysis tools, we will look at data set from different types of studies, including self-paced reading, acceptability judgment, eye tracking, ERP, etc. Students will also gain hands-on experience on different paradigms.

T Th 12:30pm-1:50pm

2023-24 Autumn

44500 Language And Environment

Crosslistings
ANTH 44501, CHDV 44500, ANTH 24501, CHDV 24500

This seminar will explore the many ways that language influences and is influenced by the environment. Appropriate for those interested in the socio-cultural foundations of language and language-use, infrastructural dimensions of communication and interaction, and existence as semiotic.

Th 2:00pm-4:50pm

Terra Edwards
2023-24 Autumn

46001 Seminar: Causative Language

Causation stands at the heart of all sciences, and as such, philosophers, linguists, and cognitive scientists explore the exact nature of this concept as they seek to understand how causal structures are represented in the human cognitive systems. This course aims to understand what causative constructions are, what they assert, what they presupposed and to what extent they differ one from the other. In addition, it will explore how the semantics of these linguistic expressions are related to the way we model our causal knowledge of the world. In this context we will explore the uniqueness of the linguistic inquiry about causation and how it corresponds with studies on causation in philosophy and in cognitive sciences. In the course we will also consider typological studies, with focus on causative constructions in English and in Hebrew. 

W 11:30am-2:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

47900 Research Seminar

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.

W 3:00pm-4:20pm

2023-24 Autumn

20001 Introduction to Linguistics

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 identities 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.

TR 2:00 - 3:20

2023-24 Winter

20002 Cognitive Methods

MW 3:30 - 4:20

2023-24 Winter

20201 Introduction to Syntax

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.

T Th 12:30-1:50

2023-24 Winter

21000 Morphology

Why is the plural of child in English children and not *childs? Why is undoable ambiguous ((i) 'unable to be done', (ii) 'able to be undone'), while unkillable isn't (only 'unable to be killed')? Unhappier is intuitively composed of several, smaller pieces: un-, happy, and -er; but what about unkempt? These questions are the purview of MORPHOLOGY, the field of linguistics devoted to studying the internal structure of words and how they are formed. Consequently, in this course we will investigate the nature of morphemes, in all their cross-linguistic shapes and guises. Key concepts which will frame our discussion include inflection, syncretism, allomorphy, and blocking. The only prerequisite for this course is LING 20001: Introduction to Linguistics.

TR 11:00 – 12:20 pm

2023-24 Winter

23920 The Language of Deception and Humor

In this course we will examine the language of deception and humor from a variety of perspectives: historical, developmental, neurological, and cross-cultural and in a variety of contexts: fiction, advertising, politics, courtship, and everyday conversation. We will focus on the (linguistic) knowledge and skills that underlie the use of humor and deception and on what sorts of things they are used to communicate.

MW 1:30 - 2:50

2023-24 Winter

25360 Algonquian Morphosyntax

TR 9:30 - 10:50

2023-24 Winter

26050 Race, Ethnicity, Language & Citizenship in US

TR 2:00 - 3:20

2023-24 Winter

27010 Psycholinguistics

MW  1:30 - 2:50

2023-24 Winter

29409 Constructed Languages

This class examines the history and methodology behind the creation of constructed languages or "conlangs". We will explore how and why languages are constructed, critically assess the design of existing conlangs (e.g. Klingon, Esperanto), and discuss conlanging both as an art form and as a tool to study the properties of natural human language, connecting this to the field of linguistic typology. Throughout the course, students will each build their own conlang, combining knowledge across various linguistic subfields to produce a workable grammar. They will explore the patterns seen in natural languages, developing a deeper understanding of how phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics interact and applying this towards language construction.

TR 2:00 - 3:20

2023-24 Winter

29410 Contact Linguistics & Multilingualism

What happens when people who speak different languages live in the same area? How do languages change as a result of their environment and social structure? How do social situations lead to language change and multilingualism? This course will engage with the literature on contact linguistics and multilingualism providing theoretical backgrounds and foundations for analyzing real-world situations. This course will apply the theoretical understandings to several instances of contact linguistics and a variety of complex social situations via case studies. We will briefly cover topics and process such as: bi/multilingualism, translanguaging, dialect leveling, mixed-Languages, pidgins & creoles, and language shift, all through a lens that addresses the complex situations they exist in with respect to cultural contact and colonialism. This brief overview of each of these processes will give students a basis for understanding and recognizing them in real-world contexts as well as providing them with the tools to ask critical questions about the situations and results.   

TR 12:30 - 1:50

2023-24 Winter

29411 Linguistics Introduction to Telugu

This course is an overview-style introduction to the Telugu language, including grammar, phonology, and the social, political, and historical contexts of the language and its users. Telugu, the majority language of the two southern Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is within the top twenty most spoken languages in the world. The global Telugu-speaking diaspora, too, is growing quickly in population and in relevance, especially in the United States. This course primarily aims to give students an introduction to the structure of the language, through learning the script, learning to recognize verbal and nominal morphology, and understanding the role of word order in a Telugu sentence. Students will also learn to use this knowledge as a way to answer questions such as: How is language tied to social categories such as ethnicity, class, caste, and geographical origin? How can the phonetic, morphological, and syntactic features of a language be taken up as markers of identity and as symbols in discourse? 

TR 3:30 - 4:50

2023-24 Winter

10100/30100 Elementary Modern Greek I

This course aims to develop elementary proficiency in spoken and written Modern Greek and to introduce elements of cultural knowledge. The course will familiarize the students with the Greek alphabet, Modern Greek pronunciation rules and the basic morphology and syntax, with an emphasis on reading and conversational skills. The students will be able to communicate minimally with formulaic and rote utterances and produce words, phrases and lists.

MWF, 1:30 - 2:20

2023-24 Winter

10200/30200 American Sign Language II

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.

MWF 10:30 – 11:20 am, 11:30 – 12:20 pm

Prerequisites

ASLG 10100

2023-24 Winter

30201 Syntactic Analysis I

This course is an advanced survey of topics in graduate syntax examining current syntactic theory through detailed analysis of a range of phenomena and readings from the primary research literature.

MW, 1:30-2:50

Prerequisites

Graduate student standing. Undergraduates with a grade of A or A- in Intro to Syntax may petition the instructor for admission

2023-24 Winter

30302 Semantics and Pragmatics II: Force and Form

All languages have morphosyntactic means for restricting what speech acts users are able to perform with a sentence. For example, an interrogative like did you sit down? can be used to ask a question while the imperative sit down! cannot. This seminar addresses some of the question of the “form-force mapping” and the factors affecting it. The main focus will be on the proper division of labor between compositionally determined content, conventionally determined context change effects, and pragmatic reasoning. We will aim to cover the three main ‘clause types’ declarative, imperative and interrogative, as well as the apparently unremitting problem of explicit performatives. 

 

TR 12:30 - 1:50

2023-24 Winter

10500/30500 Intermediate American Sign Language II

This course continues to increase grammatical structure, receptive and expressive skills, conversational skills, basic linguistic convergence, and knowledge of idioms. Field trip required.

MWF 12:30 – 1:20 pm

Prerequisites

ASLG 10400

2023-24 Winter

31200 Language in Culture II

The second half of the sequence takes up basic concepts in sociolinguistics and their critique.

MW 1:30 - 4:20

2023-24 Winter

21720/31720 Sociophonetics

Variation is a ubiquitous feature of speech, yet much of the variation observed is non-random. This class 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 practical exercises; (b) survey new sociolinguistic research that addresses issues in phonetic and phonological theories and (c) locate and explain phonetic variation in its social context while drawing on current approaches to the relationship between language and society. 

TR 9:30am-10:50am

2023-24 Winter

25300/35300 Swahili II

Swahili is the most popular language of Sub-Saharan Africa, spoken in most countries of Eastern and Central Africa by more than 50 million people. Swahili is characterized by the typical complex Bantu structure. However, it is particularly easy to pronounce and fast learned.

The Elementary Swahili series is designed to help students acquire communicative competence in Swahili and a basic understanding of its structures. The course presents basic phonological, grammatical, and syntactic patterns of Kiswahili.

Through a variety of exercises, students develop communicative functionality in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Emphasis is put on dialogues and role-plays, individual and group presentations, and the use of audiovisual and web-based resources. Swahili culture and African culture in general are an important component of the course.

At the end of the elementary course series, the students are able to communicate efficiently in everyday life situations, write and present short descriptive notes about elementary pieces of verbal creation (documentaries and video series in Swahili). This course allows fulfilling the non-Indo-European language requirement.

TR 11:00 am – 12:20 pm

Prerequisites

SWAH 25200 or consent of instructor.

2023-24 Winter

26520/36520 Mind, Brain and Meaning

Crosslistings
PHIL 2/36520, PSYC 2/36520, NSCI 22520, COGS 20001

What is the relationship between physical processes in the brain and body and the processes of thought and consciousness that constitute our mental life? Philosophers and others have puzzled over this question for millennia. Many have concluded it to be intractable. In recent decades, the field of cognitive science--encompassing philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and other disciplines--has proposed a new form of answer. The driving idea is that the interaction of the mental and the physical may be understood via a third level of analysis: that of the computational. This course offers a critical introduction to the elements of this approach, and surveys some of the alternative models and theories that fall within it. Readings are drawn from a range of historical and contemporary sources in philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and computer science. (B) (II)

TR 9:30 -10:50

2023-24 Winter

36601 Introduction to Pyton and R for Linguists

TR 12:30 - 1:50

2023-24 Winter

26900/36900 Intermediate Swahili I

Students focus on broadening their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in this course.

TBD 11:00 - 12:20

2023-24 Winter

28355/38355 A Linguistic Introduction to Swahili

Spoken in ten countries of Eastern and Central Africa, Swahili has more speakers than any other language in the Bantu family, a group of more than 400 languages most prevalent in sub-equatorial Africa. Based on Swahili Grammar and Workbook, this course helps the students master key areas of the Swahili language in a fast yet enjoyable pace. Topics include sound and intonation patterns, noun class agreements, verb moods, and sentence structures. Additionally, this course provides important listening and expressive reading skills. For advanced students, historical interpretations are offered for exceptional patterns observed in Swahili, in relation with other Bantu languages. This is a general introduction course with no specific prerequisites.

TR 11:00 - 12:20

2023-24 Winter

29402/39402 Language Contact: Greek and the World's Languages

How do languages get into contact? How long do they stay in contact? What is contact-induced language change, and which are the mechanisms that govern it? What do arachnophobia, myalgia, geology, heterophagy mean?
In this course we will study language contact and its outcomes, as well as the social and linguistic factors that regulate contact-induced changes. We will examine a wide range of language contact phenomena from both general linguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives, and survey current approaches to all of the major types of contact-induced change (e.g. borrowing). Having Greek (but also other languages) as an example, we will consider linguistic and social aspects of the contact context as well as look into how the particular language has shaped the savant vocabulary of science, philosophy, arts, etc.


More precisely, we will offer a brief overview of the history of the Greek language with special emphasis on the Greek vocabulary that Greek language landed or borrowed at different stages of its history as a result of its linguistic contact with other nations and languages. We will start with the Pre-Hellenic phase of Greek and then we focus in Proto-Hellenic, Ancient Greek, Koine, Medieval Greek and finally Modern Greek.

TR 11:00 -12:20

2023-24 Winter

21920/41920 The Evolution of Language

This course is designed to review critically some of the literature on the phylogenetic emergence of Language, in order to determine which questions have been central to the subject matter, which ones have recurred the most, and to what extent the answers to these are now better informed. The class will also review new questions such as the following: What is the probable time of the emergence of modern language(s)? Should we speak of the emergence of Language or of languages, in the plural? What does the choice of the singular or plural delimitation of language entail for accounts of the emergence of typological diversity? How do debates on the emergence of language(s) bear on the nature and significance of Universal Grammar (aka the language organ or the biological endowment for language, among other names)? Is there any real conflict between arguing that languages are cultural artifacts and supporting the position that humans are biologically endowed to develop or learn them? What ecological factors explain the fact that human populations are primarily speaking rather than signing? Assuming that languages are communicative tools or technology, are there any strong reasons for expecting the architectures of signed and spoken languages to be identical? To what extent does modality bear on the architecture of signed and spoken languages? Can these questions be addressed independent of what the ecology of the phylogenetic emergence of language(s) is? Etc.

MW 3:00 - 4:20

2023-24 Winter

42002 Seminar: Semantics/Pragmatics

It is an old idea in semantics and philosophy that discourse context can be modeled as a collaborative game between interlocutors, constrained by the intentions, beliefs and goals of the interlocutors. The general principles of how people coordinate in discourse context also have implications for other lines of inquiries, such as how word meaning changes diachronically, or how we interact with each other in the social world around us. The specific cognitive underpinning of people’s ability to collaborate and to draw inferences, however, is far from clear. In this class, we hope to gain some understanding of how (or whether) we can experimentally assess and computationally model some of the fundamental theoretical constructs, such as Question Under Discussion, alternatives, common ground. We will do so by examining a few specific empirical cases, including scalar implicatures, presuppositions, and semantic adaptation between interlocutors. This class is primarily a discussion class, but depending on students’ specific background and interests, we may conduct some hands-on exercises of experimental work.

M 1:30 - 4:20 

2023-24 Winter

47900 Research Seminar

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.

W 3:00pm-4:20pm

2023-24 Winter

Psycholinguistics

Crosslistings
COGS 27010

This is a survey course in the psychology of language. We will focus on issues related to language comprehension, language production, and language acquisition. The course will also train students on how to read primary literature and conduct original research studies.

Mondays/Wednesdays 1:30-2:50

2023-24 Spring

20001 Introduction to Linguistics

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 identities 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.

Tuesday/Thursday 9:30-10:50

2023-24 Spring

22000 Language and ideology in Modern Greek

Crosslistings
MOGK 32000, MOGK 22000, LING 32000

Within the general area of language and ideology this course addresses issues that relate to Modern Greek dialects and the history of diglossia in the geographical area of Modern Greece. Standardization, language purification and several attempts of language planning of various success in the history of Greek are discussed and compared to other representative examples in the relevant literature, as well as various types of language oppression, which are attested in the history of Greek-speaking communities. The role of Atticism (the artificial mimicking of Classical Greek) in developing and sustaining high (H) forms of the language until today is examined in relation to social inequalities and (un)equal access to education. A brief history of the language and its writing systems are included, in relation also to the role of religious institutions and in particular the role of the Greek Orthodox Church in the issues under discussion. Students will be encouraged to draw parallels to cases of diglossia and language planning in other cultures and other speech communities. Participation and distinction in this course does not require previous knowledge of any stage or variety of Greek.

Tue Thu : 12:30 PM-01:50 PM

2023-24 Spring

29413 Structure of Heritage Turkish

(Modern) Turkish is a heavily agglutinating (suffixing) Turkic language (Altaic) with basic SOV word order (head final) as well as vowel harmony. The total number of L1 and L2 speakers of Turkish is estimated to be more than 90 million, including a large immigrant community residing in mainly Europe. The aim of this course is two-fold: Firstly, we will examine the structural properties of Turkish by way of engaging in linguistic fieldwork with native speakers. This will allow us to improve our analytical thinking and problem solving skills and familiarize us with the workings of a non-Indo-European language. Then, we will focus on the differences between Turkish as spoken in the mainland (Türkiye) and heritage Turkish as spoken by Turkish speaking immigrants in Europe. In doing so, we will investigate the role of socio-economic and political factors in shaping the grammatical and structural properties of languages.

Tuesdays/Thursdays 12:30-1:50

2023-24 Spring

24001 Prediction in Language Comprehension

Crosslistings
COGS 24001

Language tends to follow predictable patterns, from what sounds and words are about to be uttered, to what grammatical structures are likely, to be used to what broader implications are about to be suggested, and more. One prevailing hypothesis is that the human mind can take advantage of this predictability to help maintain the rapid pace of language comprehension. This course will explore critical questions surrounding the nature of prediction processes during language comprehension. What do people predict? How are their predictions constrained? How can we study the inherently internal process(es) of prediction? What are the consequences of prediction? Perhaps most importantly, what do the answers to these questions suggest about the mechanisms and computations of prediction? Readings will primarily consist of contemporary articles from peer-reviewed journals, and class meetings will be a mix of lectures and student-led discussions.

Tuesdays/Thursdays 2:00-3:20

2023-24 Spring

20002/30002 Cognitive Models

Crosslistings
COGS 20002/30002

A foundational principle of cognitive science is that the workings of cognitive systems--whether biological, mechanical, or digital--can be productively represented by the operation of formal computational models. This course provides a survey of popular modeling frameworks (such as Bayesian rational agents, connectionist networks, dynamical systems, etc.), as well as the cognitive phenomena that these models have been used to simulate. We will discuss the theoretical commitments of these models, assess strengths and weaknesses of each framework for addressing different types of cognitive questions, and analyze the implications of these models’ successes and failures for our understanding of the mind.

Mondays/Wednesdays 1:30-2:50

test, Eugene Yu Ji
2023-24 Spring

30202 Syntactic Analysis II

This course is a continuation of Syntax I. The emphasis will be on A'-movement and ellipsis operations within the framework of Principles and Parameters and the Minimalist Program. Although we will examine different types of movement and ellipsis constructions, as well as their interactions, the objective will be to understand to what extent we can develop a general theory of syntax. The course will have a strong cross-linguistic aspect to it, examining data from Irish, Austronesian languages, Mayan languages, Wolof, Russian, Romance, Germanic, and others. The topics will include wh-movement in questions, relative clauses, and other constructions, islands and other constraints on movement, sentence fragments (sluicing, split questions), VP-ellipsis, and gapping.

Tuesdays/Thursdays 10:00-11:20

Prerequisites

LING 30201

2023-24 Spring

21300/31300 Historical Linguistics

Crosslistings
ANTH 47300

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.

Tuesdays/Thursdays 10:30-11:50

Prerequisites

Intro to Linguistics and Intro to Phonetics and Phonology or Graduate student status

2023-24 Spring

26002/36002 Language in Society

This course is an introduction to sociolinguistics, the study of language in its social context. We will look at variation at all levels of language and how this variation constructs and is constructed by identity and culture, including relationships between language and social class, language and gender, and language and ethnicity. We will also discuss language attitudes and ideologies, as well as some of the educational, political, and social repercussions of language variation and standardization.

Mondays/Wednesdays 3:00-4:20

Prerequisites

LING 20001

2023-24 Spring

26520/36520 Mind, Body, and Meaning

Crosslistings
COGS 20001, NSCI 22520, PHIL 26520, PHIL 36520, PSYC 26520, PSYC 36520

What is the relationship between physical processes in the brain and body and the processes of thought and consciousness that constitute our mental life? Philosophers and others have puzzled over this question for millennia. Many have concluded it to be intractable. In recent decades, the field of cognitive science--encompassing philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and other disciplines--has proposed a new form of answer. The driving idea is that the interaction of the mental and the physical may be understood via a third level of analysis: that of the computational. This course offers a critical introduction to the elements of this approach, and surveys some of the alternative models and theories that fall within it. Readings are drawn from a range of historical and contemporary sources in philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and computer science. (B) (II)

Tuesdays/Thursdays 9:30-10:50

2023-24 Spring

42050 Seminar in Speech Perception

Thursdays 12:30-3:20

2023-24 Spring

46200 Contact-induced Change and Language Shift

Prerequisites

Tuesdays 12:30-3:20

2023-24 Spring

/50510 Graduate Seminar in Psycholinguistics: Old and New Approaches to Audience Design

When people talk, they tailor their utterances to the needs of their interlocutor(s). The first half of this course will be devoted to reviewing foundational as well as newer approaches to audience design. The second half of the course will be geared towards designing and piloting a novel study addressing an open question in the literature. Depending on class size, this will be done as a whole class project or in student groups.

Note: This course has a different topic each quarter it is offered.

Tuesdays/Thursdays

Prerequisites

 

2023-24 Spring

58012 Language, Evidence, and Mind

Crosslistings
Phil 58012

The observation that ordinary uses of predicates such as “tasty” and “beautiful” trigger an acquaintance inference—they suggest that the speaker has first-hand knowledge of the item under consideration—has received immense attention by philosophers as well as by linguists in recent years. The goal of this seminar is to arrive at a comprehensive and systematic understanding of this phenomenon. We will explore the significance of the acquaintance inference in semantics and philosophy of language (in particular for our understanding of the interaction between literal meaning and discourse pragmatics) but also for aesthetics and meta-ethics. From the linguistics side, we will explore intricate questions surrounding the projection properties of acquaintance inferences as well as issues surrounding “subjective” attitude verbs. The guiding hypothesis of this interdisciplinary seminar is that natural language predicate expressions lexically specify what it takes for their use to be properly ‘grounded’ in a speaker’s state of mind—what state of mind a speaker must be in for a predication to be in accordance with the norms governing assertion—and that these grounding constraints may compositionally interact with other other natural language expressions in interesting ways. (II)

Wednesdays, 9:30-12:20PM

Chris Kennedy, Malte Willer
2023-24 Spring

LING 20301/LING 30310 Intro to Semantics & Pragmatics

This course familiarizes 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). Some of the core empirical phenomena that have to do with meaning are introduced: lexical (i.e., word) meaning, reference, quantification, logical inferencing, presupposition, implicature, context sensitivity, cross-linguistic variation, speech acts. Main course goals are not only to familiarize students with the basic topics in semantics and pragmatics but also to help them develop basic skills in semantic analysis and argumentation.

Tuesdays/Thursdays 3:30-4:50

Prerequisites

LING 20001

2023-24 Spring