Undergraduate Program

This course introduces students to the study of the structure of human language. We will cover the six core areas of linguistic investigation: Phonetics (articulation, acoustics, and perception of speech sounds), Phonology (sound patterns), Morphology (internal structure of words and their organization in the mental lexicon), Syntax (internal structure of phrases and sentences), Semantics (word and sentence meaning), and Pragmatics (language use in context). The course focuses on developing skills in the areas of linguistic data analysis and interpretation of linguistic data in ways that aim to address theoretical and empirical issues in the study of language. In addition to the lecture students will need to register for a peer-led workshop.

The goal of this course is to provide a background for understanding the principles that underlie the structure of sound systems in human languages. Starting with the notion phoneme, the course focuses on acoustic and articulatory phonetics, as a basis for understanding phonological processes and change in linguistic sound forms. Students will acquire skills in the production, recognition, and transcription of sounds in various languages of the world. The course will serve as a foundation for work in language documentation, sociolinguistics and sociophonetics, morphology. This course is meant for linguistics majors and non-majors alike. In addition to the lecture students will need to register for a peer-led workshop.

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we construct sentences. The course is designed to introduce the grammatical principles that guide the building of structures. The students will acquire and apply the tools necessary for linguistic analysis of phrases and sentences. Built on data puzzles from English and some lesser studied non-Indo European languages, the students will gain insights into state of the art syntactic theory and lingering questions.

This course introduces students to the basics of the analysis of meaning in natural language. The first section focuses on devices that motivate certain forms to take on the meanings they have. The second section of the course moves on to discuss how meanings combine to form meanings for larger units—how words and phrases combine to form sentences meanings. Using logical notation we illustrate the formal analysis of natural language meaning in terms of truth-conditions. We will discuss the basics of set theory, and investigate how meanings represented in these terms correlate with the syntactic and lexical structures of sentences of natural language. This course counts towards satisfying the core course requirement for majors. Students must also register for a workshop.

This is a hands-on class which allows you to work with a language consultant with the goal of writing a grammar sketch or a short research paper. At the end of this course, you will have acquired methods and techniques to describe a language not known to you previously. This includes recording and collection of data, data processing and analysis. The class is an opportunity to apply the knowledge of linguistic theory that you acquired during your major in linguistic research on an unfamiliar language. Another focus of this course is training in grammar writing skills. Ultimately, this course provides you with a solid basis to do fieldwork for language description and linguistic research in your own in the future.

This course provides an introduction to probability and statistics for linguistics, serving as an essential foundation for linguistics students who aim to analyze experimental and corpus linguistic data. Topics include (i) elementary probability theory; (ii) elementary descriptive and inferential statistics; (iii) elementary machine learning concepts; and (iv) fixed and mixed effects models. Concepts are explored through linguistic case studies, including the analysis of formally collected judgment data, reaction times, and acoustic measurements.

The Linguistic Theory track dives deep into the core principles that govern language structure and use. It focuses on the study of morphology, phonology, syntax, and semantics, providing a comprehensive framework for analyzing linguistic data. This track is ideal for students interested in understanding the formal properties of language and is recommended for those considering graduate study in linguistics.

Four of:

• LING 226 Morphology
• LING 227 Phonetics or LING 237 Phonology
• LING 228 Lexical Semantics or LING 265(W) Formal Semantics or LING 266 Intro to Pragmatics or LING 267 Topics in Semantics
• LING 260(W) Syntactic Theory I
• LING 261 Constraint Bssed Syntax

Plus one elective.

The Language Documentation and Description track emphasizes the importance of preserving linguistic diversity. It combines theoretical insights with practical skills in documenting languages, particularly those at risk of disappearing. Courses cover the relationship between language and culture, the analysis of language structures, and fieldwork methods, equipping students with the tools needed for effective language preservation efforts.

All of:

• LING 104 Language and Culture
• LING 226 Morphology
• LING 270(W) Preserving Diversity in Language and Culture

Two electives (at least one of which must be a 200-level course):

• LING 102 Language and Social Identity
• LING 107 Language and Landscape: Water is Life
• LING 205 Historical Linguistics
• LING 215 Languages of Africa
• LING 227 Phonetics
• LING 237 Phonology
• LING 228 Lexical Semantics
• LING 240(W) Language Variation and Change
• LING 288 Topics in Sociolinguistics

The Language Variation and Change track explores how languages evolve over time and differ across social groups. It includes courses on social identity, historical linguistics, and the dynamics of phonetics and phonology. This track is designed for students interested in sociolinguistics and the historical development of languages, providing insight into the factors that drive linguistic diversity.

All of:

• LING 102 Language and Social Identity or LING 162 Modern African-American English
• LING 240(W) Language Variation and Change

Two of:

• LING 205 Historical Linguistics
• LING 214 Statistical Methods in Linguistics
• LING 227 Phonetics
• LING 237 Phonology
• LING 270(W) Preserving Diversity in Language and Culture

Plus one 200-level elective.

The Computational Linguistics track integrates linguistics with computer science, focusing on the analysis and processing of natural language using computational methods. Students will learn about statistical methods, natural language processing, and machine learning techniques applied to language data. This track is perfect for those who want to work at the intersection of language and technology, opening pathways to careers in AI and data science.

All of:

• LING 214 Statistical Methods in Linguistics
• LING 224 Intro to Computational Linguistics

One of:

• LING 247 Natural Language Processing
• LING 250 Data Science for Linguistics
• LING 268 Computational Semantics
• LING 282 Deep Learning in Computational Linguistics

One of:

• LING 228 Lexical Semantics
• LING 260(W) Syntactic Theory I
• LING 261 Constraint Based Syntax
• LING 265(W) Formal Semantics
• LING 266 Intro to Pragmatics

Plus one 200-level elective.

The Language and the Mind track examines the psychological and philosophical aspects of language, exploring how we understand, produce, and process language. It includes courses in semantics, pragmatics, and the philosophy of language, offering a deep dive into the cognitive mechanisms underlying linguistic behavior. This track is ideal for students interested in the relationship between language, thought, and cognition.

All of:

• LING 104 Language and Culture
• LING 228 Lexical Semantics or LING 266 Intro to Pragmatics or LING 267 Topics in Semantics
• LING 245 Philosophy of Language
• LING 265(W) Formal Semantics

Plus one elective.