Spring 2024

For a full list of graduate courses in linguistics offered in recent years, see: 

GRS LX 621 / MET LX 521

Introduction to syntax as an object of inquiry. Students build an increasingly sophisticated model of syntactic knowledge to account for data from English and other languages, constructing and evaluating alternative hypotheses about how sentence structure works.

MWF 12:20-1:10

GRS LX 649 / MET LX 549

The psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics of life with two languages. Topics include bilingual language use, processing, acquisition, organization; effects of bilingualism on cognition and development; the bilingual brain; the bilingual speech community; bilingual education; bilingualism in the media and public eye.

TR 2-3:15

GRS LX 660 / MET LX 560

Introduction to language change and the methodology of historical linguistic analysis, using data from a wide array of languages. Investigates genetic relatedness among languages, language comparison, historical reconstruction, and patterns and principles of change in phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor. 

MWF 9:05-9:55

GRS LX 690 A1

Approaches the notion of truth through the study of lies and other forms of deception, partial truths, imprecision, subjectivity, bullshit, hustle, and nonsense. Builds on perspectives from linguistics, philosophy, media/communication, law (perjury), and political science (fact-checking).

MWF 1:25-2:15

GRS LX 690 B1

Much recent progress has been made in Natural Language Processing, sometimes accompanied by descriptions like “human-level performance”. This course serves as an introduction to how “progress” is measured and evaluated, and invites broader discussions about claims of human parity.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, Introduction to Linguistics, and LX 496/796, Computational Linguistics, or equivalent, by permission of instructor

TR 9:30-10:45

GRS LX 691

A team-based in-depth investigation of the phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and lexicon of an African or other non-Indo-European language. Bi-weekly sessions with language consultant. Weekly trainings on methodology, ethics, analysis, and presentation of results. 

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor.

MWF 11:15-12:05

GRS LX 703

Survey of phonological theory and analysis, with focus on cross-linguistic typology of phonological systems. Phonological reasoning and argumentation skills are developed. Empirical coverage includes contrast, distinctive features, rules and constraints, opacity, tone, syllabification, stress, and interactions with morphology and syntax.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 301 / GRS LX 601, or consent of instructor.

TR 11-12:15

GRS LX 723

Exploration of advanced topics in syntax, chosen in part based on student interest, through reading and critical discussion of both foundational and recent literature.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 422 / GRS LX 722, or consent of instructor.

M 2:30-5:15

GRS LX 732 / MET LX 532

Systematic development of a semantic theory of natural language, using the tools of model-theoretic semantics. In-depth study of the relation between meaning and grammar, and the relation between meaning and context.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 331, or consent of instructor.

MWF 10:10-11

GRS LX 790

Investigation of what morphology and phonology are, how they may or may not be distinct, and how they interact. Topics will vary, but may include: emergence, innateness, inflectional classes, morphomes, paradigms, rules and/or constraints, analogy, cyclicity, ineffability, and prosodic morphology.

R 3:30-6:15

GRS LX 796

Introduction to computational techniques to explore linguistic models and test empirical claims. Serves as an introduction to concepts, algorithms, data structures, and tool libraries. Topics include tagging and classification, parsing models, meaning representation, corpus creation, information extraction.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250 and either CAS CS 112 or CS LX 394, or consent of instructor.

TR 12:30-1:45

GRS LX 802

Advanced graduate students working on their qualifying research papers or thesis present and discuss work in progress. The course is organized thematically based on students’ research areas. Readings each week are determined on the basis of the research discussed.

T 3:40-4:45