Meeting time: MWF 10-11, KCB 102
Instructor: Peter Alrenga
Email: palrenga@bu.edu (preferred)
Phone: (617) 353-6221
Office: 621 Commonwealth Ave., Rm. 110
Office Hrs: Tu 2-3:30, F 11:30-1Â (and by appointment)
Prerequisite: None
Course Description: This course surveys the modern foundations of linguistics as a cognitive science. The cognitive sciences include psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, linguistics, philosophy, and anthropology—these different fields are united by their shared concern with the mind and its architecture. Simultaneous developments in these fields during the mid-1950s led to genuinely new approach to the study of our mental lives. Central to the emergence of this new interdisciplinary discipline was the approach to the study of language advocated by Noam Chomsky. We will review the central tenets of Chomsky’s approach to language, and then go on to explore some of the numerous ways in which the study of language informs, and is informed by, the other cognitive sciences.
Reading: There is no textbook for this course. Individual reading assignments will be distributed to students, either as PDFs available from the course website, or in hard copy. Wherever possible, readings have been chosen that presuppose little or no background knowledge about the course material.
All readings are required, and should be completed by the beginning of class.
Attendance & Participation: Regular attendance is required for a passing grade in this course, and participation in class discussions is expected. Together, attendance and participation will account for 5% of your overall grade.
Exams: There will be two in-class midterm exams: the first will be on Tuesday, October 12, and the second will be on Wednesday, November 10. Each midterm exam will constitute 15% of your overall grade. There will also be a cumulative final exam on Thursday, December 16 from 3-5pm, which will constitute 20% of your overall grade. The exams will test your understanding of the readings as well as our class discussions.
Writing Assignments: Throughout the semester, you will complete four short writing assignments. Topics will be provided to you in advance; sometimes, several possible topics will be suggested, from which you may choose one that suits your tastes and interests. The suggested lengths for these writing assignments will vary (anywhere from two to five double-spaced pages, assuming reasonable margins and font sizes), but what is most important is that you address the chosen topic thoroughly, relating it to what you have encountered in the readings and class discussions. The due dates for the writing assignments are Friday, September 17; Monday, September 27; Monday, October 25; and Friday, December 3. The first two writing assignments will together constitute 15% of your overall grade, while the third and fourth assignments will each constitute 15% of your overall grade.
Academic Conduct: You are expected to abide by the CAS Academic Conduct Code (accessible at http://www.bu.edu/cas/students/undergrad-resources/code/). Â Plagiarism in any form (including online sources), cheating on exams, and other academic misconduct will not be tolerated.
Late Policy: No make-up exams (or extensions for the papers) will be given, except in extreme emergencies. It is your responsibility to bring any potential scheduling conflicts to my attention as soon as they arise, so that alternative arrangements can be made. In the absence of any such prior arrangements, late work will not be accepted.