Graduate Program

Term Schedule

Spring 2021

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
LING 407-1 Old English Literature Steven Rozenski TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
At the end of the 5th century, after Roman occupation of Britain had ended, invaders from coastal Germany and the Netherlands settled in England and displaced the Celtic-speaking population. The language these tribes spoke and wrote gives us the oldest witnesses of perhaps the most influential and widely-spoken language in the world today: English. In this class, we will learn to read the earliest records of English (c. 700-1100) by studying the grammar, vocabulary, and poetics of the period. We will explore the variety of surviving Old English texts - elegies, heroic epic, riddles, religious verse, Latin philosophy (translated in prose and verse), Biblical translation, sermons, charms, maxims, and more - as well as the history of book production during the period. By the end of the term, your new facility in Old English will enable you to read, understand, and translate some of the most beautiful poems ever written. No prerequisites for the course; as pre-1800 as you can get. Location Lechase Room 141 (TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)
LING 420-1 Intro to Grammatical Systems Joanna Pietraszko MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
This introductory course examines the grammatical structure of sentences from the standpoint of transformational grammar. The course develops the basic techniques of syntactic analysis in order to develop a working theory of a (fragment of) English. The theory is then tested against data from other languages and revised accordingly. Location Online Room 12 (ASE) (MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)
LING 424-1 Intro to Computational Lin Aaron White MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
This course covers foundational concepts in computational linguistics and is designed for students with a strong background in formal linguistic methods but only rudimentary programming experience. Major focus is placed on the use of formal languages as a tool for understanding natural language as well as on developing students' ability to implement foundational algorithms pertaining to those formal languages. Topics include basic formal language theory, finite state phonological and morphological parsing, and syntactic parsing for context free grammars and mildly context sensitive formalisms. Students who have taken the CSC17X series should consult with the instructor prior to enrollment, since there is overlap with a subset of the technical material covered in those courses. Conversely, while it is possible to enter this course with no programming experience and do well, students new to programming may wish to take CSC161 or to attend a CIRC programming bootcamp prior to taking this course. Location Lattimore Room 513 (MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
LING 427-1 Topics in Phonetics & Phonology Joyce McDonough MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM
This course is intended to provide participants with an overview of research in an area of phonetics and phonology. Issues vary from term to term but may cover areas in segmental, metrical and intonational phonology and the phonology/phonetics interface. This term we will be focusing on the phonological and sociolinguistic aspects of sound change. We will begin with foundational papers on the topic of sound change from both a historical and synchronic perspective. Students will learn about linguistic variation and ongoing change locally in the Inland North dialect area through the analysis of their own interview data. Past and recent studies of the Inland North will provide a framework for learning about the linguistic and social motivations of sound change. Location Hutchison Hall Room 140 (MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM)
LING 428-1 Lexical Semantics Scott Grimm TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
In this course we investigate the study of word-meaning in current linguistics and cognitive science. We examine the meanings of lexical items such as verbs, nouns, adjectives, and prepositions, and also other categories of words, including various function words and discourse particles. We examine theories of word-meaning, and examine how words and vocabulary may vary between languages. Location Bausch & Lomb Room 270 (TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
LING 430-1 Sign Language Structure Norma Tourangeau MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
An examination of signed languages and the cognitive constraints that shape them, through a detailed consideration of the structure of American Sign Language and other natural signed languages of the world. Includes training in sign language notation and analysis. Prerequisites: ASL 106 in the immediately preceding semester or permission of the instructor. B or better in ASL 106. Location Lechase Room 104 (MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
LING 447-1 Natural Language Processing James Allen MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
This course addresses issues of representing computing meaning from natural language, especially issues of understanding language in context using commonsense knowledge of the world. Topics will include a survey of English phrase structure and parsing, semantic representation (e.g., events, semantic roles, time, causality and speech acts), and theories and techniques for understanding language in context, including intention recognition, text understanding using knowledge of scripts and plans, and models of spoken dialogue systems (e.g., conversational agents such as Siri). CSC447, the graduate level version of the course, requires a substantial individual project. Prerequisites: CSC 242 Location Online Room 17 (ASE) (MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
LING 465-1 Formal Semantics Arshia Asudeh TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
This course is an in-depth introduction to the formal analysis of natural language meaning, employing techniques that have been developed in language and formal philosophy over the last century. Issues include intensionality, quantification, tense, presupposition, plurality, the analysis of discourse, and other current issues. Familiarity with syntax, logic, and/or computation are helpful. Location Morey Room 205 (TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)
LING 471-1 Field Methods I Nadine Grimm MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
This class is similar to LIN389: Students will learn how to organize a fieldwork project by working with a native speaker. They will systematically prepare elicitation sessions, organize their data, and learn how to write up short sketches of their findings. The final project is a chapter of a joint sketch grammar of the language, including annotated natural text.In contrast to the senior seminar, however, this course is designed for two terms, continuing in the fall term. Also, participants are required to have taken LIN270/470 as a prerequisite. Having a background in language documentation and data processing techniques, students in this class will focus more on collecting and annotating natural texts (stories, dialogues, experimental data) which is adding a documentary angle. Location Harkness Room 210 (MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)
LING 481-1 Statistical & Neural Computational Linguistics Aaron White MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
This course covers advanced topics in computational linguistics, with a focus on the deployment of statistical and neural methods for advancing linguistic theory as well as the use of linguistic theory for designing statistical and neural models. Topics include morphophonological grammar learning, syntactic grammar learning, semantic representation learning for words and phrases, syntactic parsing, semantic parsing, and natural language inference. Prerequisite: LING 424. Recommended: LING 420, LING 425 Location Hylan Building Room 201 (MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)
LING 491-1 Master's Reading in Lin Nadine Grimm –
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LING 491-2 Master's Reading in LIN Joyce McDonough –
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LING 491-3 Master's Reading in LIN Scott Grimm –
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LING 491-4 Master's Reading in Lin Arshia Asudeh –
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LING 491-5 Master's Reading in Lin Maya Abtahian –
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LING 491-6 Master's Reading in Lin Joanna Pietraszko –
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LING 491-7 Master's Reading in Lin Aaron White –
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LING 495-1 Master's Research in Ling Joyce McDonough –
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LING 495-2 Master's Research in Ling Scott Grimm –
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LING 495-3 Master's Research in Ling Nadine Grimm –
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LING 495-4 Master's Research in Ling Arshia Asudeh –
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LING 495-5 Master's Research in Ling Maya Abtahian –
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LING 495-6 Master's Research in Ling Joanna Pietraszko –
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LING 495-7 Master's Research in Ling Aaron White –
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LING 590-1 Supervised Teaching Aaron White –
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LING 590-2 Supervised Teaching Scott Grimm –
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LING 590-3 Supervised Teaching Nadine Grimm –
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LING 590-4 Supervised Teaching Joyce McDonough –
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LING 590-5 Supervised Teaching Joanna Pietraszko –
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LING 590-6 Supervised Teaching Arshia Asudeh –
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LING 590-7 Supervised Teaching Maya Abtahian –
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LING 595-1 PhD Research in Ling Jeffrey Runner –
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LING 595-2 PhD Research in Ling Scott Grimm –
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LING 895-1 Cont of Master's Enrollment – –
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LING 897-1 Master's Dissertation Joyce McDonough –
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LING 897-2 Master's Dissertation Scott Grimm –
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LING 897-3 Master's Dissertation Nadine Grimm –
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LING 897-4 Master's Dissertation Arshia Asudeh –
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LING 897-5 Master's Dissertation Joanna Pietraszko –
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LING 897-6 Master's Dissertation Maya Abtahian –
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LING 897-7 Master's Dissertation Aaron White –
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LING 995-1 Cont of Doctoral Enrollment – –
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LING 997-1 Doctoral Dissertation Jeffrey Runner –
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LING 999-1 Doctoral Dissertation Jeffrey Runner –
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Number	Title	Instructor	Time
Monday
Monday and Wednesday
LING 471-1 Field Methods I Nadine Grimm
This class is similar to LIN389: Students will learn how to organize a fieldwork project by working with a native speaker. They will systematically prepare elicitation sessions, organize their data, and learn how to write up short sketches of their findings. The final project is a chapter of a joint sketch grammar of the language, including annotated natural text.In contrast to the senior seminar, however, this course is designed for two terms, continuing in the fall term. Also, participants are required to have taken LIN270/470 as a prerequisite. Having a background in language documentation and data processing techniques, students in this class will focus more on collecting and annotating natural texts (stories, dialogues, experimental data) which is adding a documentary angle.
LING 481-1 Statistical & Neural Computational Linguistics Aaron White
This course covers advanced topics in computational linguistics, with a focus on the deployment of statistical and neural methods for advancing linguistic theory as well as the use of linguistic theory for designing statistical and neural models. Topics include morphophonological grammar learning, syntactic grammar learning, semantic representation learning for words and phrases, syntactic parsing, semantic parsing, and natural language inference. Prerequisite: LING 424. Recommended: LING 420, LING 425
LING 424-1 Intro to Computational Lin Aaron White
This course covers foundational concepts in computational linguistics and is designed for students with a strong background in formal linguistic methods but only rudimentary programming experience. Major focus is placed on the use of formal languages as a tool for understanding natural language as well as on developing students' ability to implement foundational algorithms pertaining to those formal languages. Topics include basic formal language theory, finite state phonological and morphological parsing, and syntactic parsing for context free grammars and mildly context sensitive formalisms. Students who have taken the CSC17X series should consult with the instructor prior to enrollment, since there is overlap with a subset of the technical material covered in those courses. Conversely, while it is possible to enter this course with no programming experience and do well, students new to programming may wish to take CSC161 or to attend a CIRC programming bootcamp prior to taking this course.
LING 430-1 Sign Language Structure Norma Tourangeau
An examination of signed languages and the cognitive constraints that shape them, through a detailed consideration of the structure of American Sign Language and other natural signed languages of the world. Includes training in sign language notation and analysis. Prerequisites: ASL 106 in the immediately preceding semester or permission of the instructor. B or better in ASL 106.
LING 447-1 Natural Language Processing James Allen
This course addresses issues of representing computing meaning from natural language, especially issues of understanding language in context using commonsense knowledge of the world. Topics will include a survey of English phrase structure and parsing, semantic representation (e.g., events, semantic roles, time, causality and speech acts), and theories and techniques for understanding language in context, including intention recognition, text understanding using knowledge of scripts and plans, and models of spoken dialogue systems (e.g., conversational agents such as Siri). CSC447, the graduate level version of the course, requires a substantial individual project. Prerequisites: CSC 242
LING 420-1 Intro to Grammatical Systems Joanna Pietraszko
This introductory course examines the grammatical structure of sentences from the standpoint of transformational grammar. The course develops the basic techniques of syntactic analysis in order to develop a working theory of a (fragment of) English. The theory is then tested against data from other languages and revised accordingly.
LING 427-1 Topics in Phonetics & Phonology Joyce McDonough
This course is intended to provide participants with an overview of research in an area of phonetics and phonology. Issues vary from term to term but may cover areas in segmental, metrical and intonational phonology and the phonology/phonetics interface. This term we will be focusing on the phonological and sociolinguistic aspects of sound change. We will begin with foundational papers on the topic of sound change from both a historical and synchronic perspective. Students will learn about linguistic variation and ongoing change locally in the Inland North dialect area through the analysis of their own interview data. Past and recent studies of the Inland North will provide a framework for learning about the linguistic and social motivations of sound change.
Tuesday and Thursday
LING 465-1 Formal Semantics Arshia Asudeh
This course is an in-depth introduction to the formal analysis of natural language meaning, employing techniques that have been developed in language and formal philosophy over the last century. Issues include intensionality, quantification, tense, presupposition, plurality, the analysis of discourse, and other current issues. Familiarity with syntax, logic, and/or computation are helpful.
LING 407-1 Old English Literature Steven Rozenski
At the end of the 5th century, after Roman occupation of Britain had ended, invaders from coastal Germany and the Netherlands settled in England and displaced the Celtic-speaking population. The language these tribes spoke and wrote gives us the oldest witnesses of perhaps the most influential and widely-spoken language in the world today: English. In this class, we will learn to read the earliest records of English (c. 700-1100) by studying the grammar, vocabulary, and poetics of the period. We will explore the variety of surviving Old English texts - elegies, heroic epic, riddles, religious verse, Latin philosophy (translated in prose and verse), Biblical translation, sermons, charms, maxims, and more - as well as the history of book production during the period. By the end of the term, your new facility in Old English will enable you to read, understand, and translate some of the most beautiful poems ever written. No prerequisites for the course; as pre-1800 as you can get.
LING 428-1 Lexical Semantics Scott Grimm
In this course we investigate the study of word-meaning in current linguistics and cognitive science. We examine the meanings of lexical items such as verbs, nouns, adjectives, and prepositions, and also other categories of words, including various function words and discourse particles. We examine theories of word-meaning, and examine how words and vocabulary may vary between languages.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday