Winter 2004

This information effective for Winter 2004. Check with instructor the first day of class for any changes.

Linguistics

[LING-052] [LING-053] [LING-080D] [LING-080G] [LING-088D] [LING-102] [LING-113] [LING-123] [LING-160] [LING-181] [LING-186]

52. Syntax I

MWF 2:00-3:10pm
Cowell 134
Instructor: Judith Aissen
E-mail: aissen@ucsc.edu

This course is an introduction to English syntax (principles of sentence construction) and to syntactic analysis in the framework of generative grammar. It constitutes the entry course to the syntax sequence for linguistic majors. No prior linguistic or other training is presupposed. The work for the course consists entirely of homework problems. An assignment will be given at every class, due at the following class, and returned the class after that. The homework will require time and careful attention and will usually be rather challenging. These problems will be designed to involve students in observation and analysis of linguistic data and in the construction and testing of syntactic theories. At two times during the quarter, the problems will be more comprehensive and time-consuming and will function as take-home exams. There is no text. Though it is part of the required core sequence for linguistics majors, Syntax I is designed for all students interested in an introduction to a rigorous, scientific approach to language study, a better understanding of the structure of English and of language, in general, or just plenty of exercise in precise thought and writing.

Prerequisites: Satisfaction of the Subject A and C requirements.
General Education Codes: IH (Introduction to Humanities), W (Writing Intensive).

[top of page]

53. Semantics I

MWF 9:30-10:40am
Merrill 102
Instructor: Michela Ippolito
E-mail: ippolito@ucsc.edu

This course is an introduction to linguistic meaning and interpretation. It covers both semantics, the meaning of words and sentences, and pragmatics, the how language is used and understood.

The course investigates the nature of our intuitions about meaning, analyzing them in terms of the role they play in communication and inference through language.

The required written work consists of weekly problem sets, two of which will count as midterms, and a final exam.

The course is a requirement for students in Linguistics and Language Studies. It should also be of interest to students in Anthropology, Literature, Psychology, and Philosophy, students bound for Law School, as well as Computer Science and Engineering students interested in natural language processing.

No previous work in linguistics is presupposed

Prerequisites: none.
General Education Code: IH (Introduction to Humanities).

[top of page]

80D. Chomsky's Language and Mind

TTH 4:00-5:45pm
Stevenson 150
Instructor: James McCloskey
E-mail: mcclosk@ucsc.edu

Noam Chomsky is often said to have revolutionized thinking about language and language ability. This course provides a critical overview of Chomsky's theorizing about language and about the influence that theorizing has had outside linguistics—in psychology and philosophy especially, but also to some extent in anthropology, biology, education, artificial intelligence, and computer science. Larger implications (whether there is or is not a "human nature" and the role of freedom in human life and social organization) will also be considered.

We will begin by examining the goals that Chomsky laid out for the study of language and the novel methodology that he advocated for the pursuit of those goals. We then examine the principal claims about the nature of language that have emerged from that work, among them being (i) the claim that there are universal features of human language design that are neither coincidental nor logically necessary, (ii) the claim that those universal features stem from a species-specific genetic endowment, and (iii) the claim that language-learning is fundamentally different from other kinds of learning. Some broader implications will then be examined: the revival of rationalist epistemological views about innate ideas, the issue of whether species other than humans have linguistic capacities, and Chomsky's claims of implications about intrinsic and inescapable limits on human understanding. At each step, the strategy pursued will be to reach as clear an understanding of the Chomskyan position as possible, and then to confront that understanding with critiques from various perspectives.

Evaluation will be based on a combination of class participation and written work. Written work will consist of three short papers which will be based on reading and on class discussions. In the papers, students will be expected to survey and critically evaluate some of the debates with which the course is concerned, basing their arguments on the content of the lectures and the interchanges in class and in discussion section meetings.

Prerequisites: none (but interests in languages, philosophy, or psychology will be an advantage).

General Education Code: T5 (Topical-Humanities & Arts or Social Sciences)

[top of page]

80G. Nature and Language of Computers (Introduction to Unix)

MW 5:00-6:45pm
Classroom Unit I
Instructor: Geoffrey Pullum
E-mail: pullum@ucsc.edu

Introduction to computing, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, through the medium of the Unix operating system. Oriented toward the beginner, and with a liberal-arts rather than an engineering perspective, the course presupposes no previous acquaintance with any particular sort of computer. It covers the basics of text handling, editing, and formatting (e.g., in HTML, the language of web pages), but the main focus is on learning to use Unix commands and write simple shell scripts. The introduction has broad enough applicability to be of help to those using Sun computers (like the campus Unix servers), or Linux (in any of its variants), or Apple's OS-X (as on all recent Macintosh computers). The course offers a basic introduction to a very important family of simple but extremely powerful language for communicating with a computer and getting it to do what you want it to. (Also offered as Computer Science 80G. Students may not receive credit for both courses.)

Prerequisites: none.
General Education Code: T2 (Topical-Natural Sciences).

[top of page]

88D. The Structure of Turkish

M 5:00-7:00pm
Cowell 216
Instructor: Jorge Hankamer
E-mail: hank@ucsc.edu

This 2-credit seminar is intended to provide an introduction to the exploration of the structure of a non-Indo-European language (modern standard Turkish) as an object of empirical study. In the course of the investigation, a number of principles and assumptions of current linguistic theory will be introduced. No prior knowledge of linguistics or Turkish will be assumed.

The required work will consist of attendance at one two-hour class meeting per week, a limited amount of reading, one homework assignment per week involving engagement with Turkish language data, and a final problem bringing together the analysis skills gained during the course.

[top of page]

102. Phonology II

TTh 2:00-3:45pm
Stevenson 151
Instructor: Junko Ito
E-mail: ito@ucsc.edu

Sequel to Phonology I. Phonological description and analysis of linguistic data will continue to be the core of the course, but we will also be investigating some basic questions regarding the adequacy of the theory and the formalism employed. Course requirements: weekly problem sets, midterm, and final.

Prerequisite: Phonology I (LING 101).

[top of page]

113. Syntax II

MWF 8:00-9:10am
College Eight 242
Instructor: Jorge Hankamer
E-mail: hank@ucsc.edu

Linguistics 113 continues the investigation of generative/transformational grammar begun in Syntax I. Several new constructions of English grammar are introduced: WH questions, relative clauses, constructions involving topic and focus, and possibly comparative constructions. We first investigate the basic properties of these constructions and then go on to examine a number of interesting constraints on their formation. These constraints will lead us ultimately to a version of generative syntax in which there are no construction-specific transformation rules. As in Syntax I, the course is driven principally by class discussion and by the homework assignments. The course requirements include 2-3 homework assignments per week, a take-home midterm, occasional reading, and a final squib (5-10 page paper). At the end of this course, you should be in a position to read much of the classic work in transformational syntax. You will also be familiar with some important assumptions made in more recent syntactic theory. Your control of argumentation and analysis will be stronger, and you will be able to carry out syntactic investigation of your own. Overall, this course rounds out your understanding of syntactic structure, completing the picture introduced in Syntax I.

Prerequisites: Satisfaction of the Subject A and C requirements; Ling 52 (Syntax I).
General Education Code: W (Writing Intensive).

[top of page]

123. Philosophy of Language

TTH 2:00-3:45pm
Stevenson 152
Instructor: Christopher Hom
E-mail: chom@ucsc.edu

Course Description:

How does language relate to the world? How do we manage to use words to talk about things? What is the relationship between the words we use and the thoughts that they express? These are the central questions for this course. Along the way, we will explore the concepts of meaning, truth, and belief. We will begin by investigating the work of Frege and Russell on the meaning of proper names. According to them, the relationship between a name and the object it picks out is mediated. Their theories will be contrasted with "direct reference" theories of names, where the relationship between a name and its bearer is unmediated. The differences between these two competing approaches will be brought out in our discussion of belief reports. Other topics in the course will include truth and meaning and the implications of contemporary linguistics on the philosophy of language. (Also offered as Philosophy 123; students cannot receive credit for both courses.)

Prerequisites: one course in linguistics, philosophy, or psychology.

[top of page]

160. Language Engineering

MWF 11:00-12:10pm
Oakes 222
Instructor: Adam Albright
E-mail: albright@ucsc.edu

This course will address a particular problem in language engineering, chosen for its practical and theoretical interest and its tractability. Students will learn about various techniques that may be helpful in solving the problem and will work in teams to develop their own solution. The goal of the course is to gain some of the skills needed to design and implement a working computer program that solves a problem by making use of concepts from linguistic theory.

Prerequisites: there is no single prerequisite course; however, a prior relevant course in linguistics, as well as one involving computers (such as Ling 80G, Ling 163, or a programming course) are strongly recommended.

[top of page]

181. Structure of Romance Languages

TTH 10:00-11:45am
Porter 148
Instructor: Donka Farkas
E-mail: farkas@ucsc.edu

This is a class in comparative grammar, which has a dual purpose. We first seek to systematically survey major phonological, morphological, and syntactic properties of several Romance languages. By doing so, we will also develop an appreciation of the goals and methods of constructing grammatical explanations. Students entering the course should have one Romance language other than English whose structure they intend to explore. The course will satisfy the "Structure of" requirement for Language Studies students, who will focus on their major language.

Prerequisites: As preparation for this course, students should have taken LING 20 or some equivalent linguistics courses in syntax and phonology. Some knowledge of either Italian, French, or Spanish is also required.

[top of page]

186. Structure of German

TTH 10:00-11:45am
Classroom 201
Instructor: Armin Mester
E-mail: mester@ucsc.edu

This course covers phonological, morphological, and syntactic aspects of the structure of the German language. Some prior linguistics course (such as Ling 20, Ling 51, or Ling 52/55) is recommended, as well as some knowledge of German.

Prerequisites: none (see above for recommended courses)