Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
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Home » Linguistics » Courses
2019-2020 Timetable
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers courses covering the core aspects of Linguistics as well as other Linguistics-related courses. Students can count the courses toward major or minor in Linguistics, take them as concept courses toward World Language Studies minor or as electives.
LING 100/6.0
Introduction to Linguistics This course provides an introduction to the linguistic study of language. Topics covered include phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax. The course focuses on universal characteristics of language and draws on examples from a variety of languages.
Canadian English This course investigates the distinctive characteristics of Canadian English as it is spoken and written today. Topics include historical development, regional dialects, and current changes. Students will have access to the extensive bibliographic and computer corpus resources of the Strathy Language Unit.
Language and Power This course examines how language reflects and creates power relations in society. Students will learn fundamentals in the linguistic study of language usage and style, and examine language and power in areas such as language socialization, language and age, language and gender, language and education, and language and culture.
Language Acquisition and Learning How do children acquire their first language? How are second/subsequent languages learned? Topics include first language stages of learning, bilingualism, language disorders, theories of learning, individual differences, interlanguage, and language instruction, including contexts of heritage languages and language revitalization.
PREREQUISITE Level 2.
Phonetics This course provides a foundation in the study of speech sounds. The focus is on articulatory phonetics, how to classify and transcribe different sounds of speech according to their articulatory features. The course also offers an introduction to acoustic phonetics and feature geometry theory.
PREREQUISITE LING 100/6.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
Phonology Principles and methods of modern generative phonology. Examination of the formal properties of the sound systems of languages. Current theoretical controversies as well as particular synchronic and diachronic problems in a variety of languages.
Morphology This course provides a foundation in principles of morphological analysis. Topics covered include inflectional and derivational morphology as well as the morphology-syntax and morphology-phonology interfaces. Emphasis is placed on practical discovery method, and formal analysis and explanation.
Syntax This course provides a foundation in syntactic analysis and explanation. The course focuses on the relation between structure and meaning, and assumes the framework of Universal Grammar Theory. Topics covered include thematic roles, case, anaphora, NP movement and WH movement.
Introduction to Historical Linguistics This course introduces the linguistic study of historical language change. The focus is on principles and method in the study of phonological, morphological and syntactic change. Case studies will be drawn from a cross-section of languages, including but not limited to members of the Indo-European language family.
Comparative Morpho -Syntax This course examines morpho-syntactic variation across languages. Topics covered include argument structure, derivation versus compounding, case, anaphora, determiners, clause typing and related phenomena. The course assumes the framework of Universal Grammar theory with a focus on how comparative studies in morpho-syntax inform linguistic analysis and theory.
PREREQUISITE LING 330/3.0 and LING 340/3.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Linguistic Analysis and Argumentation
This course explores the forms of reasoning and evidence used in constructing and evaluating scientific arguments in linguistics, through discussion of articles that represent significant innovations and controversies in linguistic theory. Emphasis is on the structure of arguments, rather than on the analysis of individual languages or phenomena.
Prerequisites: LING310/3.0, LING 320/3.0, LING 330/3.0, and LING 340/3.0
Semantics The aim of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental concepts and tools of analysis in semantics. Students will learn to recognize and identify different features of word meaning and a variety of semantic relations between words and sentences. The characteristics of logical relations and truth-functional semantics and the role these play in the interpretation of words and sentences will be discussed.
PREREQUISITE LING 340/3.0, or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
Topics in Morpho-Syntax Course content will vary from year to year and will explore a special theme in the interface between morphology and syntax. The course is comparative in perspective, drawing on evidence from different languages. The format is largely discussion-oriented and includes a substantial component of student presentations. Readings are selected from the current research literature (journal articles, working papers, unpublished manuscripts and dissertations).
PREREQUISITE LING 330/3.0 and LING 340/3.0.
Field Methods in Linguistics This course provides instruction in method and procedure in linguistic fieldwork. The course investigates the syntax, morphology and phonology of a language unfamiliar to the participants. The instruction is structured around weekly fieldwork sessions dedicated to data collection working with a native speaker of the language, and weekly workshops devoted to analysis. The course contains an intensive independent study component.
PREREQUISITE LING 310/3.0, LING 320/3.0, LING 330/3.0, LING 340/3.0
Directed Readings in Linguistics Upon agreement with a qualified instructor, this course may be taken by an upper-year student in Linguistics to explore a specific area or methodology. Regular meetings, directed readings.
PREREQUISITE (6.0 units at the 300 level or above in LING) and (a GPA of 3.50) and permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
Honours Thesis in Linguistics Upon agreement with a qualified instructor, students with fourth year standing in Linguistics may take this course to develop and demonstrate research skills in Linguistics. Working under supervision, students will choose a specific topic in a particular language, prepare a research proposal which involves the collection and analysis of data, carry out the research, and write a thesis based on the results. Fall and Winter Terms.
PREREQUISITE Level 4 in a LING Plan and (12.0 units at the 300 level or above in LING) and (a GPA of 3.50) and permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.