Introduction to Linguistics
- Course Number: Linguistics 2000H
- Instructor Name: Micha Elsner
- Office: Oxley Hall 222E
- Office hours: 2:30 M, 10:00 R or by appointment
- Email: elsner.14@osu.edu, melsner0@gmail.com
- Meeting Date/Time: MW 11:10-12:30
- Classroom Location: PAES A105
Course description:
This course is an introduction to linguistics, the scientific study of language. The course will cover basic tools for data collection, research and argumentation in the social sciences, and specifically for collecting and analyzing language data.
We will look at how the sounds of human language are produced, how the symbolic structure of language enables us to communicate, and how language relates to culture in general. This version of the course will especially emphasize experimental, corpus-driven and computational approaches to the study of language.
Assignments
You will be required to read sections of the textbook (Language Files) before most classes, and there will be exercises from Language Files assigned on a Monday-to-Monday basis. These exercises are due by the beginning of class, and are mainly assigned as a check that you understand the material; they are scored on a 0/1 basis (you get credit just for turning them in).
There are five large homeworks. These each take the form of some kind of hands-on project along with a writeup of what you did, why you did it and how it worked. Each one is due at the beginning of class on the day specified (which may not be a Monday). The homeworks have different requirements and you should read the assignment carefully before beginning.
There are three opportunities for “Further Reading”, of which you must complete exactly one. These will consist of a scholarly article and an accompanying Carmen quiz which will test your comprehension of the article. There is a midterm exam, which will be given as a takehome on Carmen. There is no final exam.
You are required to earn credit for two Linguistics Outside the Classroom events. You may earn credit in one of three ways: participate in an LOC experiment, attend an LOC talk, or attend the Linguistics Department’s Friday colloquium. (Experiments and talks are designed for students at your level; the colloquium is more advanced, and is intended as a fallback for students who have problems attending the other activities.) In each case, you must fill out a short response form and submit it. Each LOC activity is worth 3% of your grade. One LOC activity must be completed in the first half of term, and the other in the second half; for more information, see the Carmen page.
Late work policy
Late projects will be deducted one letter grade (10%), unless you have a medical excuse. Late LF problem sets, LOC assignments and the demographic survey will not be graded at all unless you have a medical excuse; you will simply receive a zero. If you plan to submit the midterm late, you must contact me before the midterm due date, since we will review midterm answers during class. Work submitted after Monday, 30 April, will not be graded.
Syllabus
|
Day |
Topic |
Reading (due before class) |
Assigned (begin working on this) |
Due at beginning of class |
|
Jan 8 M |
Intuitive phonology |
Onsets worksheet, Demographic survey |
||
|
10 W |
Intuitive phonology |
Project 1: onsets |
Onsets worksheet |
|
|
15 M |
MLK day: no class |
LF 2.8 (6,7,14) |
||
|
17 W |
Phonetics (IPA, consonants) |
LF 2.1, 2.2 |
Demographic survey |
|
|
22 M |
Phonetics (vowels) |
LF 2.3 |
LF 2.8 (16a-t,17a-t) |
LF Probs |
|
24 W |
Phonology; phonetic processes |
Hock and Joseph; LF 16.1 |
Project 2: Cut-and-paste |
Project 1: onsets |
|
29 M |
Acoustic phonetics; Praat |
LF 2.6; LF 16.1 |
LF 2.8 (32, 33), 3.6 (23) |
LF Probs |
|
31 W |
Phonology (allophones) |
LF 3.2 |
||
|
Feb 5 M |
Phonology (rules) |
LF 3.3 |
LF 3.6 (31, 34) |
LF Probs |
|
7 W |
Phonology (acquisition) |
LF 8.2 |
||
|
12 M |
Phonology (syllables and stress) |
LF 3.1 |
LF 4.6 (24b-e) |
Project 2: Cut-and-paste, Further reading #1: Phonetics and Phonology, LF Probs |
|
14 W |
Morphology (inflection, derivation, hierarchy) |
LF 4.1, 4.4 |
Phonology Carmen quiz |
|
|
19 M |
Morphology (parts of speech) |
LF 5.1, 5.4 |
LF 5.6 (17) |
LF Probs |
|
21 W |
Syntax (constituency) |
LF 5.3 |
Project 3: grammarbot |
|
|
26 M (halfway) |
Syntax (trees and grammars) |
LF 5.5 |
LF 5.6 (27ijk) |
LOC #1, LF Probs |
|
28 W |
Syntax (trees and grammars) |
|||
|
Mar 5 M |
Syntax (translation) |
no LF probs this week :) |
Syntax Carmen quiz, LF Probs |
|
|
7 W |
Midterm review |
Midterm |
Grammarbot |
|
|
12 M |
Spring break |
|||
|
14 W |
Spring break |
|||
|
19 M |
Acquisition of syntax and semantics |
LF 8.3 |
Project 4: Gloss/translate, LF 6.5 (9, 12, 13, 14) |
|
|
21 W |
Semantics (lexical) |
LF 6.1, 6.2 |
Midterm |
|
|
26 M |
Semantics (aspect) |
Saeed |
LF 6.5 (21, 23) |
LF Probs |
|
28 W |
Semantics (formal) |
LF 6.3, 6.4 |
Further reading #2: Syntax and Semantics |
|
|
Apr 2 M |
Pragmatics (Grice) |
LF 7.1, 7.2 |
LF 7.6 (5, 15) |
|
|
4 W |
Pragmatics (reference) |
Project 4: Gloss/translate |
||
|
9 M |
Pragmatics (speech acts, register) |
LF 7.4, 11.4 |
Project 5: Socio survey, LF 10.6 (15, 16, 20* see Carmen) |
LF Probs |
|
11 W |
Sociolinguistics (identity) |
LF 10.5 |
||
|
16 M |
Sociolinguistics (dialect) |
LF 10.1, 10.3 |
no LF probs this week :) |
Socio survey: data, LF Probs |
|
18 W |
Bilingualism |
LF 8.5 |
||
|
23 M |
Historical (semantic change) |
LF 13.6 |
Socio survey: analysis, Further reading #3: Sociolinguistics |
|
|
30 M |
No class |
Last day to submit all assignments; LOC #2 |
Grade components
- 5x assignments: 60% (12 each)
- Midterm: 15%
- Further reading: 10% (best 1 of 3)
- Language Files homeworks: 10% (about 1.5 each)
- 2x LOC assignments: 5% (2.5 each)
- Demographics survey: 1% extra credit
- Other extra credit opportunities may become available throughout the term
Grading Scale: Standard OSU grading scheme
|
no A+ |
A 93-100 |
A- 90-92 |
|
B+ 87-89 |
B 83-86 |
B- 80-82 |
|
C+ 77-79 |
C 73-76 |
C- 70-72 |
|
D+ 67-69 |
D 60-66 |
no D- |
|
no E+ |
E 0-59 |
no E- |
GE Cultures and Ideas
This course fulfills the GE requirement for Cultures and Ideas.
Goals: Students evaluate significant cultural phenomena and ideas in order to develop capacities for aesthetic and historical response and judgment; and interpretation and evaluation.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
- Students analyze and interpret major forms of human thought, culture, and expression.
- Students evaluate how ideas influence the character of human beliefs, the perception of reality, and the norms which guide human behavior.
Academic Misconduct
It is the responsibility of the Committee on Academic Misconduct to investigate or establish procedures for the investigation of all reported cases of student academic misconduct. The term “academic misconduct” includes all forms of student academic misconduct wherever committed; illustrated by, but not limited to, cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection with examinations. Instructors shall report all instances of alleged academic misconduct to the committee (Faculty Rule 3335-5-487). For additional information, see the Code of Student Conduct.
Students with disabilities
Students with disabilities that have been certified by the Office for Disability Services will be appropriately accommodated and should inform the instructor as soon as possible of their needs. This means within the first two weeks of class; please submit your form on time, even if you don’t think you will need accommodations during the term. The Office for Disability Services is located in 150 Pomerene Hall, 1760 Neil Avenue; telephone 292-3307, TDD 292-0901. If you do not get me your disability form on time, my ability to help you will be limited, so please be prompt.