Spring 2024

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

CAS LX 110

Exploration of how variation in accents and dialects interacts with various aspects of society and human life. Students examine how dialect variation arises, how it can be described, and how it interacts with literature, film, humor, and music. Cannot be taken for credit by students who have previously taken, or are currently taking, CAS LX 250 or a higher-level linguistics course. (Students must also register for a discussion section.)

BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.

TR 12:30-1:45

Discussion Section S1

F 9:05-9:55

Discussion Section S2

F 10:10-11

Discussion Section S3

F 11:15-12:05

Discussion Section S4

F 12:20-1:10

Discussion Section S5

F 1:25-2:15

Discussion Section S6

F 2:30-3:20

CAS LX 250 / MET LX 250 A1

Properties that languages share and how languages differ with respect to structure (sound system, word formation, syntax), expression of meaning, acquisition, variation, and change; cultural and artistic uses of language; comparison of oral, written, and signed languages. Also offered through Metropolitan College as MET LX 250. (Students must also register for a discussion section.)

BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.

TR 11-12:15

Discussion Section S1

F 9:05-9:55

Discussion Section S2

F 10:10-11

Discussion Section S3

F 11:15-12:05

Discussion Section S4

F 12:20-1:10

Discussion Section S5

F 1:25-2:15

Discussion Section S6

F 2:30-3:20

Discussion Section S7 (also MET LX 250 A2)

F 2:30-3:20

CAS LX 321

Systematic examination of how meaning is encoded in words and sentences, and how it can emerge from the complexity of the grammar. Also touches on various aspects of pragmatics–the study of how meaning is shaped by context.  (Students must also register for a discussion section, CAS LX 332.) 

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor. BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.

MWF 12:20-1:10

Discussion Section S1

T 11:15-12:05

Discussion Section S2

R 11:15-12:05

Discussion Section S3

T 3:35-4:25

CAS LX 349

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.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor. BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.

TR 2-3:15

CAS LX 360

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. BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Creativity/Innovation.

MWF 9:05-9:55

CAS LX 390 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

CAS LX 390 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

CAS LX 391

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. BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.

MWF 11:15-12:05

CAS LX 403

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, or consent of instructor.

TR 11-12:15

CAS LX 423

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, or consent of instructor.

M 2:30-5:15

CAS LX 432

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

CAS LX 496

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. BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.

TR 12:30-1:45