Linguistics: 2008-2009

Description •Faculty• Major Requirements • Minor Requirements •Courses

Description

Linguistics is the study of language, the medium which allows us to communicate and share our ideas with others. As a discipline, linguistics examines the structural components of sound, form, and meaning, and the precise interplay between them. Modern linguistic inquiry stresses analytical and argumentation skills, which will prepare students for future pursuits in any field where such skills are essential.

Linguistics is also relevant to other disciplines, such as psychology, philosophy, sociology, and anthropology.

The primary goals of the linguistics minor are: To introduce students to the field of linguistics proper through a series of foundation courses in linguistics theory and methodology; to provide training in the application of certain theoretical and methodological tools to the analysis of linguistic data; and to offer an array of interdisciplinary courses that allow students to explore other related fields that best suit their interests.

Faculty

COORDINATORS
Associate Professor of Chinese and Linguistics and C.V. Starr Professorship in Asian Studies Shizhe Huang, Bi-College Coordinator
Visiting Assistant Professor of Linguistics Jason Kandybowicz, Tri-College Coordinator

At Haverford College:
Professor of Psychology Marilyn Boltz
Professor of Philosophy Ashok Gangadean
T. Wistar Brown Professor of Philosophy Danielle Macbeth
Assistant Professor of Spanish Ana López-Sánchez

At Bryn Mawr College:
Professor of Computer Science Deepak Kumar
Assistant Professor of Anthropology Amanda Weidman

At Swarthmore College:
Professor of Linguistics Donna Jo Napoli
Associate Professor of Linguistics Theodore Fernald, Chair
Associate Professor of Linguistics K. David Harrison

Major Requirements

Students may major in linguistics through the Linguistics department at Swarthmore College (http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/Linguistics). Contact the department for more details.

Minor Requirements

Students may minor in linguistics by completing six credits in the following three areas of study:

Courses

a. Mandatory Foundation Courses (three credits):

LINGH 113a Introduction to Syntax HU (or Swarthmore LING 050)
S.Huang
This course will provide an introduction to the investigation of sentence structures in human language. Students will be led to discover for themselves the insights into this field that linguists have gained in the past 40 years. The class will develop an increasingly complex theory starting with some basic assumptions about language and then seeing where the assumptions lead. In the process, students will not only come to a clearer understanding of how grammar works, they will also develop and refine skills of analysis, writing, and argumentation. We will focus mainly on English, since everybody in class speaks it. Occasionally, we will look at other languages to get a sense of the ways in which human languages are similar to each other and how they are different.

LINGH 114b Introduction to Semantics HU (or Swarthmore Linguistics 040)
S.Huang
This course is an introduction to semantics, the study of meaning in human language. We will explore semantic issues that arise from the lexicon, the sentences, and the discourse. Along the way, we will investigate not only the semantic structure of natural language but also pragmatic factors that affect our interpretation of the use of language. This is a participation-intensive course. In the process, students will not only learn the basic semantic theory but will also develop skills in observing linguistic patterns and analyzing these patterns in order to come to some generalizations on their own.

LINGH 115b Phonetics and Phonology HU
J.Kandybowicz
This course investigates the sound patterns found in human languages. Phonetics is the study of these patterns from a physical and perceptual perspective while phonology is the study of sound patterns from a cognitive perspective. Activities in the class will expose students to the methodologies used by both perspectives (articulatory description and acoustic analysis for phonetics and formal theoretical models for phonology) and show the necessity and utility of both approaches in understanding the nature of sound patterns in human language.

b. Synthesis Courses (choose one):

LINGH 282 Structure of Chinese SO
S.Huang
This course is designed to provide an overview of the historical development of the Chinese language and its structures in terms of phonetics/phonology, syntax and semantics. The goal is to help students look at Chinese from both a historical and a theoretical perspective. Students from Linguistics will have an opportunity to enrich and broaden their understanding of linguistic theories and methodologies, and to develop skills in analyzing a non-Indo-European language, while students who have completed at least Second-year Chinese will be exposed to systematic analyses of the language to learn the general patterns. (Cross-listed in East Asian Studies.) Prerequisites: At least two of the following three: Introduction to Syntax, Introduction to Semantics, Second-year Chinese or above. Or consent of the instructor. No knowledge of Chinese is required. Not offered in 08-09.

LING 060 (Swarthmore) Structure of Navajo SO
T.Fernald
Navajo is an Athabaskan language spoken more commonly than any other Native American language in the United States. This course is an examination of the major phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic structures in Navajo. The morphology of this language is legendary. This course also considers the history of the language and its cultural context. Prerequisite: LING 050 and 045 or 052 or permission of the instructor.

LING 062. (Swarthmore) Structure of American Sign Language SO
D.Napoli
In this course, we look at the linguistic structures of ASL: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and history. We also discuss issues of culture, literacy, and politics pertinent to people with hearing loss. All students are required to participate in a rudimentary introduction to ASL for an additional 0.5 credit. Sign up for LING 062A. All students are welcome to do a community-service project in LING 095. (Writing course.) Prerequisites: LING 050 and 045 or 052 or permission of the instructor. Not offered in 08-09.

LING 064. (Swarthmore) Structure of Tuvan SO
D.Harris
Tuvan belongs to the Turkic branch of the Altaic language family and is spoken in Siberia and Mongolia by nomadic herders. It has classically agglutinating morphology and curious phenomena such as vowel harmony, converbs, and switch reference. It has rich sound symbolism, a tradition of oral (unwritten) epic tales, riddles, and world-famous song genres ("throat singing"). We will investigate the sounds, structures, oral traditions, and ethnography of Tuvan, using both printed and digital media. Prerequisites: LING 050 and 045 or 052 or permission of the instructor. Not offered in 08-09.

LINGH 382 Syntax and Semantics of Mandarin Chinese HU
S.Huang
An examination of some of the core issues in the study of Mandarin Chinese in terms of its syntactic and semantic structures. The aim is to look at a rich array of data as analyzed by practicing theoreticians and appreciate the inner workings of the language and their theoretical implications. Along the way students learn to make mid-level generalizations and hone their analytical skills. Cross-listed in East Asian Studies. (This course will satisfy the "Structure of X" requirement in years when no other such courses are offered in Tri-co. Offered every other year.) Prerequisites: Introduction to Syntax, and Introduction to Semantics. LING282 Structure of Chinese is desirable but not required. Sophomore standing or above.

c. Elective Courses (choose two):

LING/PSYCH 238 The Psychology of Language SO
M.Boltz
An interdisciplinary examination of linguistic theory, language evolution, and the psychological processes involved in using language. Topics include: speech perception and production, processes of comprehension, language and the brain, language learning, language and thought, linguistic diversity, and nonverbal communication. Prerequisite: Psychology 104 or consent of instructor.

LINGB 239 Introduction to Linguistics HU
J.Kandybowicz
An introductory survey of linguistics as a field. This course examines the core areas of linguistic structure (morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics), pragmatics, and language variation in relation to language change. The course provides rudimentary training in the analysis of language data, and focuses on the variety of human language structures and on the question of universal properties of language.

LINGH 242a Chinese Language in Culture and Society HU (Cross-listed in East Asian Studies)
S.Huang
An examination of the use and function of the Chinese language in culture and society, both within mainland China and in the Chinese diaspora. Topics include: language standardization, language planning, language and dialects, language and ethnicity, language and politics, and linguistic construction of self and community. Offered occasionally. Not offered in 08-09.

LING/PHILH 253 Analytic Philosophy of Language HU
D.Macbeth
A close study of seminal essays by Frege, Russell, Kripke, Quine, Davidson, and others focusing on questions of meaning, reference, and truth. An overarching aim of the course is to understand how one can approach fundamental issues in philosophy through a critical reflection on how language works. Prerequisite: One 100-level philosophy course or permission of instructor.

LING/PHILH 260 Historical Introduction to Logic HU
D.Macbeth
An introduction to various systems of logic, (e.g., term logic, propositional logic, and quantificational logic) through study of their historical roots in Aristotle, Kant, Frege, Russell, and Wittgenstein. Both the systems themselves and their wider philosophical significance will be explored. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of instructor. Not offered in 08-09.

LING/ANTHB 281 Language in the Social Context
A.Weidman
What do we do with language? How does language make us who we are? How does language construct our world and mediate our experience of it? In this course, we will explore some of the ways in which the fields of sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology have answered these questions. Our readings and discussions will address the topics of language socialization in childhood, the interrelationships between language, gender, race, and class, theories of meaning, the ethnography of communication, and differing ideas about language in situations of culture contact.

LINGH 295 Seminar in Syntax
J.Kandybowicz
A course designed to both provide theoretical and empirical breadth in advanced topics not covered in the introductory syntax course as well as introduce students to new ideas and recent developments in the field. Topics vary from semester to semester. Spring 2008 topic: The Minimalist Program

LING/CMSC B325 Computational Linguistics
D.Kumar
Introduction to computational models of understanding and processing human languages. How elements of linguistics, computer science, and artificial intelligence can be combined to help computers process human language and to help linguists understand language through computer models. Topics covered: syntax, semantics, pragmatics, generation and knowledge representation techniques. Prerequisite: some background in linguistics or computer science. Not offered in 08-09.

LINGH 365 The Politics of Language in the Spanish-Speaking World (Cross-listed in Spanish)
A.López-Sánchez
The course will explore the relationship between (national) identity and language, and the specific outcomes of (language) policies and educational practices in societies where Spanish is spoken, generally alongside other mother tongues, often as the dominant language, but also in a minority situation. Prerequisite: A 200 level or consent of instructor. Enrollment limited to 18 students

All linguistics courses offered at Swarthmore College will be accepted for credits for various categories in the minor.
All linguistics courses offered at Swarthmore College will be accepted for credits for various categories. Below is a sample of linguistics courses currently offered at Swarthmore College:

LING 001 Introduction to Language and Linguistics
LING 006 FYS: Language and Deafness
LING 020 Natural Language Processing
LING 024 Discourse Analysis
LING 040 Semantics
LING 045 Phonology
LING 050 Syntax
LING 055 Writing Systems, Decipherment and Cryptography
LING 070R Translation Workshop
LING 094 Special Project in Linguistics
LING 100 Research Seminar
LING 195 Senior Honors Thesis