Linguistics Course Descriptions
2011-12 General Catalog
241 and 243 Stevenson College
(831) 459-2905
(831) 459-4988
http://linguistics.ucsc.edu
Lower-Division Courses
50. Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds and Words. W
An introduction to the major areas, problems, and techniques of modern linguistics. (General Education Code(s): SI, IH.) G. McGuire
53. Semantics I. F,W
Introduction to the logical foundations of natural language semantics. Logical and semantic relations, simple set theory, logical representations (propositional and predicate calculi, modal and tense logics) and their interpretations. A basic literacy course in the language of logical representation. (General Education Code(s): IH.) P. Anand, D. Farkas
80B. Modern English Grammar. *
Elementary introduction to modern standard English grammar, both formal and informal, both written and spoken. Stresses the importance of linguistic evidence in understanding grammatical correctness; offers a demystification and critique of older traditional grammar in the light of recent research. (General Education Code(s): T4-Humanities and Arts.) The Staff
80C. Language, Society, and Culture. S
The study of language from a sociological perspective. Multilingualism, language change and variation, pidgins and creoles, the origin and diversification of dialects. (General Education Code(s): CC, T5-Humanities and Arts or Social Sciences.) J. Padgett
80D. Language and Mind: Chomsky's Program. *
A critical overview of the research program initiated by Noam Chomsky and its implications for theories of the human mind and brain. (General Education Code(s): T5-Humanities and Arts or Social Sciences.) The Staff
80G. Introduction to Unix. *
Introduction to computing, the Internet, and the World Wide Web through the language of the Unix operating system. Oriented to the beginner, the course presupposes no previous acquaintance with any particular sort of computer. It covers the basic concepts of text editing and formatting, writing Web pages in basic HTML, and promotes a rigorous understanding of Unix commands and shell scripts. Views communication with a computer as a matter of learning a few simple though powerful languages. (Also offered as Computer Science 80G. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.) (General Education Code(s): T2-Natural Sciences.) A. Van Gelder
80V. Structure of the English Vocabulary. *
A systematic study of the elements of English words: besides the practical goal of vocabulary consolidation and expansion, explores the historical origin and development of word elements, as well as their sound, meaning, and function in the contemporary language. Offered in alternate academic years. (General Education Code(s): T4-Humanities and Arts.) The Staff
99. Tutorial. F,W,S
Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. The Staff
Upper-Division Courses
101. Phonology I. W.S.
Introduction to how sounds pattern in grammars—why they vary, how they combine, etc. Emphasis is on developing theories to explain the patterns. Topics include distinctive feature theory, phonemic analysis, autosegmental phonology, and principles of syllabification and stress. Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements, course 50. (General Education Code(s): W.) R. Mester
102. Phonology II. F
Advanced phonological theory. Topics include markedness; underspecification theories; advanced topics in feature geometry, syllable theory, and stress theory; and optimality theory. Readings include published articles. Emphasis on theory construction and argumentation based on data. Prerequisite(s): course 101. J. Padgett
105. Morphology. W
Study of the principles of word formation: derivation, inflection, and compounding; cross-linguistic study of morphological processes, morphological investigation and analysis. Prerequisite(s): course 111or 112, and course 101. Offered in alternate academic years. J. Hankamer
108. Poetry and Language. W
An introduction to the linguistic aspects of poetry, e.g., rhyme, meter, and larger-scale organization of poetic form. The emphasis is on English poetry, complemented by brief sketches of other poetic traditions. Students taking this course should have some basic knowledge of language structure (e.g., as provided by course 50). Offered in alternate academic years. (General Education Code(s): TA.) S. Chung
111. Syntactic Structures. S
Provides a basic introduction to the methods and results of generative grammar. It simultaneously provides an overview of the major syntactic constructions of English. (Formerly course 55.) Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. (General Education Code(s): IH.) J. Hankamer
112. Syntax I. F,W
An introduction to syntactic investigation, developed through the study of central aspects of English syntax. A major purpose is to introduce students to the study of language as an empirical science. (Formerly course 52.) Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. (General Education Code(s): IH.) S. Chung, M. Wagers, J. McCloskey
113. Syntax II. S
Further aspects of English syntax; universal and language-particular constraints on syntactic structures and rules. Further developments and extensions of generative theory. Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements, course 53 and 112. (General Education Code(s): W.) J. Hankamer
114. Syntax III. F
Advanced topics in syntax and semantics. Prerequisite(s): course 113 and satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. (General Education Code(s): W.) J. Hankamer, J. McCloskey
116. Semantics II. W
Major issues in natural language semantics: nature of lexical entries, thematic relations, propositional representation or "logical form"; relation between semantic interpretation and syntactic representations, quantification and scope relations, reference and presupposition, coreference and anaphoric relations. Prerequisite(s): course 53, and either course 111 or 112. D. Farkas
117. Pragmatics. S
Covers topics central in the study of pragmatics, the interpretation of language use. Topics include conversational implicature, speech acts and discourse understanding, and social deixis. Prerequisite(s): course 53. Offered in alternate academic years. P. Anand
118. Semantics III. *
Uses the tools learned in courses 53 and 116 (Semantics I and Semantics II), giving students the opportunity to explore important topics with heavy emphasis placed on reading primary-source literature. Readings form the basis for weekly lectures and the discussion section. Prerequisite(s): course 116. Enrollment limited to 25. The Staff
120. Structure of English. F
Survey of grammatical structure of English and terminology of grammatical description. Covers phonological, morphological, and syntactic structure of English and contrasts it with other languages. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and 101. The Staff
124. Language Typology. S
Introduces the branch of linguistics whose goal is to describe and explain the structural diversity of the world's languages. Focuses on what is known about variation in particular domains (e.g., syllable structure, word order, evidentiality), and how it might be explained. Prerequisite(s): course 111or 112, and course 101. Enrollment limited to 40. The Staff
125. Foundations of Linguistic Theory. *
Survey of some of the history and foundational assumptions of generative grammar; also looks at some of the influence of generative linguistic theorizing on disciplines outside linguistics, notably psychology and philosophy. Prerequisite(s): course 113 or 116. Enrollment limited to 25. The Staff
140. Language Change. S
Methods and problems in the study of change in linguistic systems. Reconstruction of proto-languages; the comparative method. Theories of change and implications for the theory of grammar. Prerequisite(s): course 102. Enrollment limited to 25. R. Mester
145. Native Languages of North America. *
Survey of the indigenous languages of North America, including a formal/structural component and an historical/social component. Topics include: typological properties of these languages, current status, and revitalization efforts. Prerequisite(s): course 101, and either course 111 or 112. Enrollment limited to 30. J. Kirchner
151. Phonetic Analysis. F
Introduction to instrumental phonetic analysis—analysis using experimental methods. Emphasis is on the acoustics and perception of speech. Prerequisite(s): course 101. J. Padgett
152. Applied Phonetics. *
Examines areas in which phonetic analysis and experimentation are used in practice. Emphasizes problem-solving, experiments, and analytical tasks. Prerequisite(s): course 151. Enrollment limited to 25. The Staff
154. Language and Social Identity. F
Introduction to sociolinguistics exploring the relationship between language and such social parameters as social status, ethnicity, race, gender, etc., including the role of language differences in the creation of social stereotypes. Emphasis on gathering, examining, and reporting data. Prerequisite(s): course 101, and either course 111 or 112. Enrollment restricted to senior language studies majors. Enrollment limited to 25. G. McGuire
155. Language and Cognition. *
Introduces and examines some of the foundational assumptions, practices, and methods of generative grammar in comparison to those of other areas of cognitive science, notably psychology and philosophy. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, 53, and 101. J. McCloskey
157. Psycholinguistics and Linguistic Theory. *
Theory and methods in psycholinguistics, covering perception, production, and acquisition of language and linguistic structure. A hands-on, laboratory-style introduction to the topic, focusing on the relation between experimental findings and linguistic theory. Students cannot receive credit for this course and course 257. Prerequisite(s): course 102 or 105 or 113 or 116. Enrollment restricted to linguistics and language studies majors. Enrollment limited to 20. (General Education Code(s): SR.) M. Wagers
158. Advanced Psycholinguistics. *
Advanced topics in psycholinguistics and experimental linguistics, contemporary memory models, computational models of comprehension and production, and neurolinguistic findings and methodologies. Student work revolves around an extended research project in which students learn to apply advanced analytical techniques. Prerequisite(s): course 157. Enrollment restricted to linguistics and language studies majors. Enrollment limited to 12. The Staff
160. Language Engineering. *
Addresses a particular problem in language engineering, chosen for its practical and theoretical interest and its tractability. The entire course focuses on a team project to design a solution to the problem. Permission of instructor required. P. Anand
181. Structure of Romance Languages. S
Examines the phonological and syntactic structures of Romance languages.Some knowledge of Italian, French, or Spanish is required. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and course 101. A. Brasoveanu
182. Structure of Spanish. *
The phonology and syntax of Spanish, studied from a modern linguistic perspective. Some knowledge of Spanish is required. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and course 101. The Staff
183. Structure of French. *
The phonology, morphology, and syntax aspects of French. Some knowledge of French is helpful. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and 101. The Staff
184. Structure of Irish. *
Integrated Irish-language course for beginners, combining both instruction in the language itself (linguistic) and seminars about the current social, political, and cultural state of the language (sociolinguistic). Enrollment by permission of instructor. Enrollment limited to 25. The Staff
185. Structure of Russian. *
The phonology, morphology, and syntax of Russian. Some knowledge of Russian is helpful. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and course 101. Enrollment limited to 30. Offered in alternate academic years. The Staff
186. Structure of German. *
Phonological, morphological, and syntactic aspects of the structure of the German language. Some knowledge of German is required. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and course 101. The Staff
187. Structure of Japanese. *
The phonology, morphology, and syntax of Japanese. Some knowledge of Japanese is required. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and course 101. Offered in alternate academic years. J. Ito
188. Structure of Turkish. *
The phonology, morphology, and syntax of Turkish. Prerequisite(s): course 111 or 112, and course 101. The Staff
189. Structure of Arabic. *
The phonology, morphology, and syntax of Arabic. (Mainly modern standard, but also some regional dialects.) No knowledge of Arabic is required. Pre-requisite(s): course 101, and course 111 or 112. The Staff
190. Senior Research (2 credits). *
Students produce a research paper or other significant project to satisfy the capstone requirement. Prerequisite(s): course 101, and either course 111 or 112. Concurrent enrollment in a specified upper-division course is required. Enrollment restricted to senior linguistics and language studies majors. The Staff
193. Field Study. *
Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. The Staff
195. Senior Thesis. F,W,S
Deadline for submission of thesis proposal is one year in advance of proposed completion. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
198. Independent Field Study. F,W,S
Provides for department-sponsored individual study programs off campus for which faculty supervision is not in person (e.g., supervision by correspondence). Preparation and approval must be completed by the fifth day of instruction of any given quarter. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
199. Tutorial. F,W,S
Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
199F. Tutorial (2 credits). F,W,S
Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
Graduate Courses
211. Phonology A. F
First part of a three quarter introduction to phonology. Topics of the sequence include fundamentals of acoustic phonetics; introduction to optimality theory; theories of syllabification, stress, and prosodic organization; prosodic morphology; advanced issues in faithfulness and correspondence; segmental and suprasegmental processes. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. G. McGuire
212. Phonology B. W
Second part of a three quarter introduction to phonology. Topics of the sequence include fundamentals of acoustic phonetics; introduction to optimality theory; theories of syllabification, stress, and prosodic organization; prosodic morphology; advanced issues in faithfulness and correspondence; segmental and suprasegmental processes. Prerequisite(s): course 211. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. J. Ito
213. Phonology C. S
Third part of a three quarter introduction to phonology. Topics of the sequence include fundamentals of acoustic phonetics; introduction to optimality theory; theories of syllabification, stress, and prosodic organization; prosodic morphology; advanced issues in faithfulness and correspondence; segmental and suprasegmental processes. Prerequisite(s): course 212. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. R. Mester
216. Phonology Proseminar. *
One or more topics in phonological theory. Topics vary from year to year, covering literature and current research in phonology. Prerequisite(s): course 212. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
219. Phonology Seminar. W
Advanced topics in phonology drawn from the current research interests of the instructor. Prerequisite(s): course 212. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. W. Kimper
221. Syntax A. F
Introduction to syntactic theory. Phrase structure; subcategorization; lexical entries; passive; infinitival constructions. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. J. Hankamer
222. Syntax B. W
Continuation of Syntax A. The syntax of unbounded dependencies, including constituent questions, relative clauses, clefts, topicalization. Constraints on extraction; unbounded versus successive cyclic movement; the licensing of gaps. Prerequisite(s): course 221. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. A. Deal
223. Syntax C. *
Continuation of Syntax B. The syntax of anaphora. Topics vary from year to year, and may include the following: coreference in antecedent-pronoun relations; reflexives and reciprocals; disjoint reference; bound-variable anaphora; ellipsis; semantic and pragmatic constraints on anaphora. Prerequisite(s): course 222. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. J. Hankamer
226. Proseminar in Syntax. F
In-depth investigation of some topic in syntactic theory. Topics vary from year to year, covering literature and current research in grammatical structure from varying theoretical perspectives. Prerequisite(s): course 222. J. McCloskey
229. Syntax Seminar. S
Advanced topics in syntax drawn from the current research interests of the instructor. Prerequisite(s): course 222. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. A. Deal
231. Semantics A. F
Introduction to linguistic semantics: nature of lexical entries, thematic relations, representation of logical form; relation between semantic interpretation and syntactic representation, quantification and scope relations, reference and presupposition. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. D. Farkas
232. Semantics B. W
Model-theoretic semantics for natural language. Truth-conditional, compositional semantics. Various logical ontologies and their application to natural language categories. Dynamic interpretation of discourse and anaphoric relations. Treatment of illocutionary force. Prerequisite(s): course 231. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. A. Brasoveanu
233. Semantics C. S
Third and final course in the graduate introduction to semantics, focusing on questions at the border between semantics and pragmatics. Concerns include: modality, conditionals, non-declarative meaning, and context and context structure viewed from a dynamic perspective. Prerequisite(s): course 232. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. P. Anand
236. Proseminar in Semantics. *
In-depth investigation of some topic in semantics and pragmatics. Topics vary from year to year, covering literature and current research in linguistic semantics and pragmatics. Prerequisite(s): course 231. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. The Staff
239. Semantics Seminar. W
Advanced topics in semantics drawn from the current research interests of the instructor. Prerequisite(s): course 232. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. A. Brasoveanu
240. The Pedagogy of Linguistics (1 credit). F,W
Provides training for graduate students in university-level pedagogy in general and in the pedagogy of linguistics specifically. Under the supervision of a faculty member, coordinated by a graduate student with substantial experience as a teaching assistant. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
245. Computational Models of Discourse and Dialogue. S
Focuses on classic and current theories and research topics in the computational modeling of discourse and dialogue, with applications to human-computer dialogue interactions; dialogue interaction in computer games and interactive story systems; and processing of human-to-human conversational and dialogue-like language such as e-mails. Topics vary depending on the current research of the instructor(s) and the interests of the students. Students read theoretical and technical papers from journals and conference proceedings and present class lectures. A research project is required. (Also offered as Psychology 245. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.) Enrollment restricted to graduate students. Undergraduates may enroll with permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
249. Morphology Seminar. *
Presents theoretical and descriptive issues, particularly those raised by the framework of distributed morphology and its current competitors. Course work consists of readings, squibs, and a term paper. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. The Staff
257. Psycholinguistics and Linguistic Theory. F
Theory and methods in psycholinguistics, covering perception, production, and acquisition of language and linguistic structure. A hands-on, laboratory-style introduction to the topic, focusing on the relation between experimental findings and linguistic theory. Graduate students have separate evaluation criteria. Students cannot receive credit for this course and course 157. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. M. Wagers
258. Advanced Psycholinguistics. S
Advanced topics in psycholinguistics and experimental linguistics. Contemporary memory models. Computational models of comprehension and production. Neurolinguistic findings and methodologies. Student work revolves around an extended research project in which students learn to apply advanced analytical techniques. Graduate students have separate evaluation criteria. Prerequisite(s): course 257. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. M. Wagers
259. Phonetics Seminar. F
Advanced topics in acoustic and articulatory phonetics. Prerequisite(s): course 213. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. G. McGuire
265. Mathematical Foundations of Linguistics. *
A survey of the basic mathematical notions fundamental to the understanding of work in theoretical syntax, semantics, and phonology. Topics covered include basic set theory, formal logic, boolean algebra, graph theory, and formal language theory. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. The Staff
280. Proseminar in Experimental Linguistics. *
Examines experimental design and analysis for gathering linguistic data; the advantages and disadvantages of major response measures, including reaction times; interaction with extra-grammatical factors; and statistics on categorical and continuous measures. Students present results in research papers. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. M. Wagers
290. Research Seminar. W
A research seminar for undergraduate and graduate students to develop the skills of the profession. Critical reading, reviewing, teaching, presentation, and writing. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. Enrollment limited to 10. P. Anand
295. Directed Reading. F,W,S
Directed reading which does not involve a term paper. Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. The Staff
296. Linguistics Colloquium (2 credits). F,W,S
Independent graduate-level activities and assignments relating to development of familiarity with professional activities in academic linguistics: organizing and attending colloquia and conferences, both on- and off-campus; participation in discussions at such events; and preparation of commentaries on academic papers and other papers. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
297. Independent Study. F,W,S
Enrollment restricted to graduate standing or consent of instructor. The Staff
299. Thesis Research. F,W,S
The Staff
Revised: 8/13/12
