LINGUISTICS 101:
THE SCIENCE OF LANGUAGE
M, W 10-11 a.m., Emerson 307
Instructor:
Dr. Nina Radkevich
Office:
Boylston 306
e-mail:
[email protected]
phone:
495-2549
Office hours: Tuesday 2-3 p.m. or by appointment
Teaching Fellow:
Office:
e-mail:
Office hours:
Sun-Hee Bae
Boylston Hall
[email protected]
Thursday, time TBA
Teaching Fellow:
Office:
e-mail:
Office hours:
Louis Liu
Boylston Hall
[email protected]
Tuesday 1-2 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an introduction to linguistic theory. The goal of this course is at least twofold: first, to introduce students to main areas/fields of linguistics research; second, to
develop skills of linguistic analysis of data from English and other world languages. The
course discusses methods, findings and theory of linguistic research on the sound system
and the structures of human language, the relationship between structure and meaning,
linguistic universals and first language acquisition. The course builds a foundation for the
next level courses offered in the department.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
•
•
•
•
•
Readings
Homeworks (see below) (20%)
1 Mid-term exam (30 %)
Final exam (40 %)
Class participation (10%)
HOMEWORK POLICY
The primary function of your homework assignments is in the teaching/learning area.
You will learn the subject matter much better if you do the homework assignments. You
probably cannot learn what is required in the course without doing the homework. The
secondary function of homework is my assessment of your learning.
You may discuss your homework with a student in this course. In fact, a study group can
be a good supplementary learning mechanism, and it is encouraged. HOWEVER: You
may NOT simply copy another student’s answers, nor may a group turn in one common
set of answers (whether or not they are written on multiple pages with different names on
the top). The first defeats the learning purpose; the second defeats the assessment
purpose.
Homeworks are due in class on Wednesdays. Late homeworks received any time after
the end of class (11 a.m.) on the Wednesday on which they are due and before the
beginning of class (10 a.m.) on the following Monday will be accepted and scored with a
deduction of 20% for lateness. Late homeworks received any time after the beginning of
the Monday class following their due date will not be accepted anymore.
PARTICIPATION
A vital aspect of this course is your participation as it is a direct indicator of the teaching/learning aspect. The following will score you participation points:
•
•
•
•
Asking questions in class
Asking questions by e-mail (feel free to e-mail me with any questions/concerns)
Answering questions in class
Raising issues beyond the material discussed in class
READINGS
PRIMARY READINGS
O’Grady, William et al. (2009). Contemporary Linguistics. Boston: Bedford/ St.Martins.
OPTIONAL READINGS:
Akmajian, Adrian et al. (2010). Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and
Communication. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Fromkin, Victoria et al. (2010). Linguistics: An Introduction to Linguistic Theory.
Blackwell Publishing.
Language Files. 10th Edition. Ohio State University Press
Date
01/23
01/25
Topic
The science of Linguistics
Linguistic Knowledge
Linguistic Competence
01/30
02/02
Phonetics
Physiology of Sounds
Types of sounds
Readings
O’Grady : Ch.1
(p.1-11)
Akmajian: Ch.1
(p.5-11)
O’Grady: Ch.2
(p.15-34; 38-40)
Fromkin: p.483-512
Homework
HW1 available
HW1 due
HW2 available
02/06
02/08
02/13
02/15
02/20
02/22
02/27
02/29
03/05
03/07
03/12
03/14
03/19
03/21
03/26
03/28
04/02
04/04
04/09
04/11
04/16
04/18
04/23
04/25
05/01
Transcription (IPA)
Consonant Articulation
Vowel Articulation
“Exotic” sound systems
Grammar of sounds
Phonemes and Allophones
Natural Classes
Presidents Day
Features
Derivations and Rules
Midterm Review
MIDTERM
Midterm Discussion
Morphology
Word Structure Analysis
Hierarchy in Morphology
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
Derivation vs. Inflection
Word Formation in
English
Exotic Word Formation
Structure of Sentences
Parts of Speech
Syntactic Constituents
Phrase Structure Rules
Syntactic Trees
Syntactic Parameters
Transformations
Semantics
Semantics
Language Acquisition
Languages of the World
Final Exam Review
O’Grady: Ch.2
(p.34-37)
O’Grady: p.59-81;
87-97
Fromkin: 543-548
O’Grady: 97-103
Fromkin: 566-571
HW2 due
HW3 available
HW3 due
HW4 available
HW4 due
HW5 available
HW5 due
TBA
O’Grady: 115-131
Akmajian: p. 18-44
Fromkin: 54-57, 6769
HW6 available
O’Grady: p.131-144
Fromkin: 35-39; 7583
HW6 due
HW7 available
O’Grady: 155-168;
194-195
Akmajian:170-186;
194-198
O’Grady: 168-190
Akmajian: 198-204
HW7 due
HW8 available
O’Grady: 203-220
Language Files:
O’Grady: 351-385
Akmajian: 481-519
TBA
HW9 due
HW8 due
HW9 available
HW10 available
HW10 due