Faculty
Introduction
Major in Linguistics
Double Major
Minor in Linguistics
Course Descriptions

Faculty

Chairperson
Professor Steven Franks

Rudy Professor
Albert Valdman

Professors
Daniel Dinnsen, Paul Newman, Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig (TESOL/Applied Linguistics), K. Jon Barwise (Philosophy and Mathematics), Phil Connell (Speech and Hearing Sciences), Harry Gradman (TESOL/Applied Linguistics), Beverly Hartford (TESOL/Applied Linguistics), David Pisoni (Psychology), Robert Port (Computer Science and Cognitive Science)

Associate Professors
Robert Botne, Stuart Davis, Michael Gasser, Larry Moss (Mathematics), J. Clancy Clements (Spanish and Portuguese), George Fowler (Slavic Languages and Literatures), Yoshihisa Kitagawa, Roxana Ma Newman (International Programs), Rex Sprouse (Germanic Studies), Natsuko Tsujimura (East Asian Languages and Cultures), Barbara Vance (French and Italian)

Assistant Professors
Julie Auger (French and Italian), Kenneth de Jong, Samuel Gyasi Obeng, Laurent Dekydtspotter (French and Italian)

Academic Advising
Memorial Hall 322, (812) 855-6456

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Introduction

Linguistics is the study of language: its use, meaning, and structure. The Department of Linguistics offers a major in linguistics leading to a B.A. degree, and the opportunity for interested students to take course work satisfying distributional requirements. The curriculum is designed to broaden students' foreign language experience with the study of language structure and to introduce students to a variety of aspects of linguistic investigation, including language use, meaning, and stylistics; language change and variation; and training in linguistic analysis of phonetic, phonological, and syntactic structure.

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Major in Linguistics

Core Requirements
Students must complete the following courses in linguistics: L306, L307, L310, L431, and four electives, of which two must be at the 300-400 level. One elective may be from a related area.

Language Structure Requirements
L432, or L490, or two courses in a language approved by the department, excluding major western European languages (such as Germanic, Greek, Romance, or Slavic).

Language Proficiency Requirement
At least one 3 credit hour course at the 300-400 level of a foreign language.

Students must complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

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Double Major

Requirements
Students taking linguistics within the framework of a double major must fulfill the core linguistics requirements and the language structure requirement listed above.

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Minor in Linguistics

Requirements
At least 15 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours approved by the department, including L103 or L303. At least three courses must be at the 300 level or above. Three credit hours may be taken in a related field, subject to approval by the department.

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Course Descriptions

L103 Introduction to the Study of Language (3 cr.) SHSI A survey of perspectives on language, covering topics such as the relation between the form of words and sentences and their meanings, the sounds of languages and their dialect variations, the use of language in daily life, language in humans and animals, and the relationship between language and thought.
L205 Language and Style (3 cr.) SHSI R: L103. A study of variation in language, particularly as it affects the transmission of meaning. Geographic, social, sexual, and situational linguistic variation will be studied. The specialized forms and functions of the languages of politics, advertising, and literature will be examined in detail, as will various strategies for verbal manipulation.
L210 Topics in Language and Society (3 cr.) SHSI The study of topics relating to the role of language as a social phenomenon.
L303 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis (3 cr.) NMMC Introduction to basic concepts of linguistic analysis, exemplifying the general principles of structural approaches to the study of language. Application of analytical methods to problems in phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics.
L306 Phonetics (3 cr.) NMMC Introduction to the nature of speech, and the physiology and process of speech production, and training in IPA transcription of utterances drawn from the languages of the world, including various English dialects. The course includes an emphasis on naturally occurring speech and understanding physical aspects of speech behavior. Some laboratory work is included.
L307 Phonology (3 cr.) NMMC R: L306. Basic concepts such as the phoneme and distinctive feature as defined and used within particular theories. The relationship of phonology to phonetics and morphology; exploration of salient aspects of sound structure and some characteristic modes of argumentation; extensive phonological analysis with some practice in writing phonological rules.
L308 Morphology (3 cr.) P: L103, L303, or L307. An introduction to morphology, the study of the internal structure of words. Topics include the concept of the morpheme, the structure of words and processes of word formation, inflection versus derivation, and issues in morphological theory. Students will do morphological analyses on forms drawn from a variety of languages.
L310 Syntax (3 cr.) NMMC R: L303. Examination of the basic concepts, assumptions, and argumentation of modern syntactic theory to describe and analyze common syntactic structures in English and other languages. Practice in constructing and evaluating grammars.
L325 Semantics (3 cr.) NMMC R: L303 and L310 or L308. An introduction to the relationship between linguistic forms and their meanings, use and interpretation. Students will investigate the domain of linguistic semantics and acquire the "tools" to do semantic analysis and to critically evaluate those of others.
L327 Language, Action, and Social Interaction (3 cr.) SHSI P: consent of instructor; R: L205. Participants in social interaction use language to perform such activities as describing, telling stories, requesting, criticizing, apologizing, insulting, objecting, joking, greeting, and teasing. This course concerns how participants accomplish these actions in talk and face-to-face interaction. Instruction may include use of video/audio recordings or computer analysis of interaction. Credit given for only one of L327 and SOC S327.
L367 Languages of the World (3 cr.) SHSI P: L103 or L303. Survey of the language families of the world, including their chief grammatical characteristics, geographical distribution, and cultural status. Topics include methods and evidence for language grouping, causes for linguistic diversity, characteristics of endangered languages and causes for their endangerment.
L399 Readings in Linguistics (Honors) (cr. arr.; 6 cr. max.) P: consent of departmental honors committee.
L408 Readings in Linguistics (1-4 cr.) R: 12 credit hours of linguistics, or L103 and advanced work in a foreign language. Directed reading in various fields of linguistics. May not duplicate a regularly offered course. May be repeated up to a maximum of 12 credit hours.
L430 Language Change and Variation (3 cr.) SHSI P: L307. R: L310 or L308. An introduction to how languages change over time and how prehistoric languages can be reconstructed by comparing their modern descendants. Major topics include: principles of language change; historical reconstruction; language relatedness and language families; variation and the mechanism of language change; contact-induced change; the birth and death of languages.
L431 Field Methods (3 cr.) P: L307. R: L310. Introduction to the procedures involved in the structural description of language, using a native speaker of an unfamiliar language whose speech will be analyzed.
L432 Advanced Field Methods (3 cr.) P: L431. Advanced analysis of language under study in L431.
L480 Introduction to African Linguistics (3 cr.) SHSI P: L303 or linguistics major. Introduction to the linguistic study of African languages; questions of language distribution, typological and genetic classification, comparative reconstruction, and structural aspects of individual languages.
L481 Languages in Africa (3 cr.) SHSI, CSA Study of languages as an integral component of the lives of African peoples. Topics include linguistic rituals such as greetings, condolences, apologies, and leave-taking; speaking the unspeakable, joking and insulting, story telling, proverbs, and anthroponymy. Issues addressed include women and rhetoric, language education and the dynamics of language spread.
L485 Topics in Linguistics (3 cr.) P: varies according to topics. Studies in special topics not ordinarily covered in departmental courses.
L490 Linguistic Structures (3 cr.) P: consent of instructor. The linguistic analysis of particular aspects of the structure of one language or a group of closely related languages.
L499 Honors Project (cr. arr.; 6 cr. max.) P: approval of the departmental honors committee.

African Languages
B101-B102 Elementary Bambara I-II (4-4 cr.) Introduction to Bambara, a Mande language of West Africa, and aspects of Bambara culture. Basic grammatical structures and vocabulary. Emphasis on the spoken language.
B201-B202 Intermediate Bambara I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in B102 or equivalent proficiency. Study of more complex grammatical structures, with emphasis on active skills: speaking and writing. Reading of elementary texts.
B301-B302 Advanced Bambara I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in B202 or equivalent proficiency. Examination of subtle nuances in grammatical structures. Advanced readings of traditional and modern literature. Composition. Oriented to the needs of students enrolled.
H101-H102 Elementary Hausa I-II (4-4 cr.) Introduction to Hausa, a language spoken in Nigeria and Niger, and aspects of Hausa culture. Basic grammatical structures and vocabulary. Emphasis on the spoken language.
H201-H202 Intermediate Hausa I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in H102 or equivalent proficiency. Study of more complex grammatical structures, with emphasis on active skills: speaking and writing. Reading of elementary texts.
H301-H302 Advanced Hausa I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in H202 or equivalent proficiency. Examination of subtle nuances in grammatical structures. Advanced readings of traditional and modern literature. Composition. Oriented to needs of students enrolled.
S101-S102 Elementary Swahili I-II (4-4 cr.) Introduction to Swahili, a Bantu language spoken in East Africa, and aspects of Bantu culture. Basic grammatical structures and vocabulary. Emphasis on the spoken language.
S201-S202 Intermediate Swahili I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in S102 or equivalent proficiency. Study of more complex grammatical structures, with emphasis on active skills: speaking and writing. Reading of elementary texts.
S301-S302 Advanced Swahili I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in S202 or equivalent proficiency. Examination of subtle nuances in grammatical structures. Advanced readings of traditional and modern literature. Composition. Oriented to needs of students enrolled.
F101-F102 Elementary African Languages I-II (4-4 cr.) P for F102: F101 or equivalent in the same language. Language instruction in the specific African language named in the Schedule of Classes. Various languages will be offered when available. These courses may be retaken for credit, but only in a different language from that of the first enrollment.
F201-F202 Intermediate African Languages I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in F102 or equivalent proficiency in the same language. Language instruction in the specific African language named in the Schedule of Classes. Various languages will be offered when available. These courses may be retaken for credit, but only in a different language from that of the first enrollment.
F301-F302 Advanced African Languages I-II (3-3 cr.) P: grade of C or better in F202 or equivalent proficiency in the same language. Language instruction in the specific African language named in the Schedule of Classes. Various languages will be offered when available. These courses may be retaken for credit, but only in a different language from that of the first enrollment.
A400 Advanced Individual Study of an African Language (1-4 cr.) Advanced study of any African language beyond the 300 level. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credit hours.

Other Languages
L319-L320 Haitian Creole I-II (4-4 cr.) Introduction to Haitian Creole, the vernacular languages of Haiti; conversational drill, grammatical explanations and exercises, listening comprehension training; aspects of Haitian culture, including voodoo, primitive art, and the life of the Haitian peasant.

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