Tri-College Department inLinguistics

LING H010  INTRODUCTION TO ZAPOTEC  (0.5 Credit)

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course is an introduction to Dizhsa (San Lucas Quiaviní Zapotec; Valley Zapotec) and is designed to give you an introduction to Dizhsa, an Indigenous language of Oaxaca, Mexico. Students will gain skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing and will learn about cultural context in both Oaxaca and the diaspora. As a 0.5 unit course, this course does not satisfy the language requirement. This course is funded through the Mellon Together with Humanities grant. Pre-requisite(s): LING 215 (can also be a co-requisite) or instructor consent. Lottery Preference: This course is funded by the Mellon Together with Humanities grant and may be offered for up to three years. It is funded under the schema of "course cluster" and will be in a cluster with Ling 215. Thus, students in Ling 215 should have priority in enrollment. Any open seats could be open lotteried.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

LING H011  AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Introduction to learning and understanding American Sign Language (ASL), and the cultural values and rules of behavior of the American Deaf community. Includes receptive and expressive readiness activities; sign vocabulary; grammatical structure; facial expressions (emotional & grammatical), body/spatial movement, gestures; receptive and expressive fingerspelling; and deaf culture do's and don'ts. Specific concepts/topics include the number/letter basics, identifying people, activities, places, and family. This course is funded by Mellon Together with Humanities Grant. Can count towards Haverford's Language Requirement. Pre-requisite(s): WRPR 118 (can also be a co-requisite) or instructor consent. Lottery Preference: This course is funded by the Mellon Together with Humanities grant and may be offered for up to three years. It is funded under the schema of "course cluster" and will be in a cluster with a first year writing seminar on Disability and Difference.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

LING H012  AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

In ASL II, students expand their conversational range from talking about themselves to talking about other people, and about activities inside and outside the home along with time/ calendar/sequencing concepts. Students also gain skill in reading and giving directions along with making requests as well as agreeing to requests with conditions. Other concepts include opinions, qualities, and pricing. Students develop polite conversation strategies to navigate Deaf space and to handle interruptions. Grammar topics include retelling and using role shifting in narratives, agreement verbs, and negations. Can count towards Haverford's Language Requirement. Pre-requisite(s): ASL I

(Offered: Spring 2025)

LING H101  INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS  (1.0 Credit)

Noah Elkins, Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

An introductory survey of linguistics as a field. This course examines the core areas of linguistic structure (morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics), pragmatics, and language variation in relation to language change. The course provides rudimentary training in the analysis of language data, and focuses on the variety of human language structures and on the question of universal properties of language.

(Offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

LING H113  INTRODUCTION TO SYNTAX  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities; Symbolic Reasoning
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course is a hands-on investigation of sentence structures in human language. This is a participation intensive course. Collectively, the class will develop an increasingly complex syntactic theory starting with basic assumptions and seeing where they lead. In the process, students will develop skills in observing syntactic patterns and analyzing these patterns in order to come to some generalizations on their own.

(Offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

LING H114  INTRODUCTION TO SEMANTICS  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

Division: Humanities; Symbolic Reasoning
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course focuses on the study of meaning in human language. We will explore semantic issues that arise from the lexicon, the sentences, and the discourse. Along the way, we will investigate not only the semantic structure of natural language but also pragmatic factors that affect language use. This is a participation-intensive course. In the process, students will not only learn the basic semantic theory but will also develop skills in observing semantic patterns and analyzing these patterns in order to come to some generalizations on their own. Prerequisite(s): Any previous linguistics class or instructor permission.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

LING H115  PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Noah Elkins

Division: Humanities; Symbolic Reasoning
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course investigates the sound patterns found in human languages. Phonetics is the study of these patterns from a physical and perceptual perspective while phonology is the study of sound patterns from a cognitive perspective. Activities in the class will expose students to the methodologies used by both perspectives (articulatory description and acoustic analysis for phonetics and formal theoretical models for phonology) and show the necessity and utility of both approaches in understanding the nature of sound patterns in human language.

(Offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

LING H200  MULTILINGUALISM AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION  (1.0 Credit)

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

At least 60% of the world speaks more than one language, while this is true of only around 20% of Americans. Misconceptions about multilingualism and language learning are common in American society, and these can lead to bias and discrimination. This seminar-style course uses a mix of discussion, lecture, and interactive activities to examine these topics from a variety of socio-cognitive angles, including language learning, language processing, dialectal variation, language and identity, and language policy. Pre-requisite(s): none Lottery Preference: (1) Ling and Ling/Lang majors, (2) Ling and Ling/Lang minors, (2) sophomores, (3) first years and juniors, (4) seniors

LING H204  TOPICS IN INTRODUCTORY PROGRAMMING: LANGUAGE AND COMPUTATION  (1.0 Credit)

Jane Chandlee, Suzanne Lindell

Division: Natural Science; Quantitative; Symbolic Reasoning
Domain(s): C: Physical and Natural Processes

A general introduction to computer programming, in the context of its application to a specific discipline such as Data Analysis or Bioinformatics. Prerequisite for CMSC 107, along with discipline-specific analysis. Not for students who have completed CMSC 105 and/or 107. This course is equivalent to CMSC 104. Prerequisite(s): LING H101, H113, or H115

LING H208  SPEECH SYNTHESIS AND RECOGNITION  (1.0 Credit)

Jane Chandlee

Division: Natural Science; Symbolic Reasoning
Domain(s): C: Physical and Natural Processes

An introduction to the methodologies used in the automated recognition and synthesis of human speech, focusing on Hidden Markov Models in recognition and unit selection in synthesis. Students will get hands-on experience with implementing the various components of these systems to better understand the techniques, challenges, and open areas of research. Crosslisted: Computer Science, Linguistics Prerequisite(s): LING 204, CS105 and 106 OR CS107 OR BMC 110 and 206 OR instructor consent

LING H214  SPANISH IN THE US: LANGUAGE, IDENTITY AND POLITICS  (1.0 Credit)

Ana López-Sánchez

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

The course introduces students to basic concepts of (critical) sociolinguistics with a focus on Spanish in the US. It examines the history and politics of Spanish in the US, the relationship of language to Latinx identities, and how language ideologies and policies reflect and shape societal views of Spanish and its speakers (and contribute to discrimination and social injustices). Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisite(s): Course at the 200-level in Spanish or Linguistics

LING H215  THE STRUCTURE OF COLONIAL VALLEY ZAPOTEC  (1.0 Credit)

Brook Lillehaugen

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

A detailed examination of the grammar of Colonial Valley Zapotec, an indigenous language of Oaxaca, Mexico. Focus on hands-on research, morphological analysis, and translation of archival documents. Prerequisite(s): LING 113; and one of the following: LING 101, 114, 115, or instructor consent

(Offered: Fall 2024)

LING H216  THE STRUCTURE OF MAM  (1.0 Credit)

Noah Elkins

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Mam is a Mamean-branch Mayan language spoken predominantly in Guatemala, although smaller communities exist in Mexico and the United States. In this course, we examine Mam in depth, covering topics from phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, dialectal variation, and sociolinguistics. This course will afford students the opportunity to study a non-Indo-European language systematically while contributing to research on this underdocumented language. Pre-requisite(s): (LING H113 OR LING B113 OR LING S050) AND (LING 101 OR LING 114 OR LING 115 OR instructor permission)

(Offered: Spring 2025)

LING H228  FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION  (1.0 Credit)

Jane Chandlee

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

A seminar course on how humans acquire native language(s). The class surveys acquisition theories and the experimental methodologies that test them. Topics include a range of linguistic areas (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics), and contexts (monolingual, multilingual, and atypical development). Crosslisted: Linguistics, Psychology Prerequisite(s): Any one of the following: LING 101, 113, 114, 115, or Swarthmore equivalent.

LING H260  LINGUISTS AS PARTNERS IN LANGUAGE WORK  (0.5 Credit)

Brook Lillehaugen

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course prepares students for doing language work with community partners, e.g. through a summer internship. Students will consider ethical and cultural questions that might arise in the context of language work. Students will review technical skills they might need to be good partners in language work, such as elicitation and data workflow. This half unit course will be held once a week, starts in the second half of Spring semester. Pre-requisite(s): instructor permission

LING H281  SEMANTICS II  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course familiarizes students with original research in semantics. We review the basics of formal pragmatics, compositional semantics, lambda calculus, and event semantics. Then we read and discuss a selection of research articles, culminating in a final research project. Prerequisite(s): LING 114

LING H282  STRUCTURE OF CHINESE  (1.0 Credit)

Shizhe Huang

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This course is designed to acquaint students with both the syntactic and semantic structures of Mandarin Chinese and the theoretical implications they pose to the study of natural language. Students will have an opportunity to further their understanding of linguistic theories and to develop skills in analyzing a non-Indo-European language systematically.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

LING H295  SEMINAR IN SYNTAX  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A course designed to both provide theoretical and empirical breadth in advanced topics not covered in the introductory syntax courses, as well as introduce students to new ideas and recent developments in the field. Topics vary from semester to semester. Prerequisite(s): LING H113 or LING S050

LING H299  ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Students will explore the methods and tools used in research in many linguistics subfields, such as theoretical, corpus, experimental, and sociolinguistics. We will study examples of previous senior theses as well as published articles, identifying their research questions, contributions, and argument structure. Students will also work on a topic of their own choosing, compiling and synthesizing literature and culminating in a research proposal that could serve as the starting point for their senior thesis. Pre-requisite(s): Any TWO of the following, or instructor permission: LING101 (S001) Introduction to Linguistics, LING125 (S025) Sociolinguistics, LING113 (S050) Syntax, LING114 (S040) Semantics, LING115 (S045) Phonetics and Phonology Lottery Preference: 1) Senior majors, 2) Junior Majors, 3) Minors, 4) Everyone else

(Offered: Fall 2024)

LING H399  SENIOR THESIS SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

Shizhe Huang

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This seminar exposes students to linguistic research methods and guides them through the conceptualization of a topic, the research, and the writing of a senior thesis. All linguistics majors must write their senior thesis in this seminar or Ling S100 or S195. Enrollment limited to 15 students, Senior linguistics majors only.

(Offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

LING B101  INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An introductory survey of linguistics as a field. This course examines the core areas of linguistic structure (morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics), pragmatics, and language variation in relation to language change. The course provides rudimentary training in the analysis of language data, and focuses on the variety of human language structures and on the question of universal properties of language.

LING B105  LANGUAGE AND PLACE  (1.0 Credit)

Brook Lillehaugen

This project-based course focuses on hands-on research in a small group setting in order to collaboratively come to understand the relationship between a place and the languages of that place. In Spring 2022 the course will be part of a 360 and will focus on Nicaragua. Through seeking to understand the languages of Nicaragua, their histories and social dynamics, students will also learn basics of linguistics, especially historical linguistics and sociolinguistics. Spanish language a plus, though not required.

LING B113  INTRODUCTION TO SYNTAX  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

Division: Humanities

Introduces the investigation of sentence structures in human language, emphasizing insights from linguists over the past 40 years. The class will develop increasingly complex theory starting with basic assumptions and seeing where they lead. Students will gain a clearer understanding of grammar, develop and refine skills of analysis, writing, and argumentation. We will focus on English, occasionally using other languages to look at ways human languages are similar and how they differ.

LING B114  INTRODUCTION TO SEMANTICS  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

This course is designed to introduce you to the formal study of meaning in language: semantics. We will discuss elements of word meaning, formal logic, generative semantics, and pragmatics, slowly building our theory as we incorporate new linguistic phenomena from multiple human languages. No linguistic or logic background is assumed, but we will be using tools from set theory, model theory, and syntax in order to construct semantic analyses.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

LING B281  SEMANTICS II  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

This course is intended to familiarize you with original research in semantics. We will spend the first few weeks reviewing (or learning) the basic terms and tools of formal pragmatics and compositional semantics, including lambda calculus and event semantics. From there, we will read and discuss a selection of research articles in semantics and pragmatics, culminating in a final project for each student that investigates their own original research question related to meaning in language.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

LING B399  SENIOR THESIS SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Payne

This seminar exposes students to linguistic research methods and guides them through the conceptualization of a topic, the research, and the writing of a senior thesis. All linguistics majors must write their senior thesis in this seminar or Ling S100 or S195.