Schedule

The following schedule is subject to change. All listed readings are required.  Click on any of the listed reading assignments to be taken to the “Readings” page (password-protected).

Week Date Topic Reading
1 W 9/5 Course Overview; Requirements
F 9/7 What is (knowledge of) a language? Fromkin 2001
2 M 9/10 Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 1-3
W 9/12
F 9/14 Prescriptive vs. descriptive rules of grammar Simon 1980;
Language Myths 12
3 M 9/17 Pullum 1999
W 9/19
F 9/21 Knowledge of English Sound Patterns: Phonology Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 4-5
4 M 9/24 In-class Quiz #1
W 9/26 Knowledge of English Sound Patterns: Phonology (cont’d) Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 4-5
F 9/28 Knowledge of English Sentence Patterns: Syntax Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 6
5 M 10/1 Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 6;
(also, start readings for W 10/3 & F 10/5)
W 10/3 Nature vs. nurture in language acquisition:
The argument from the “poverty of the stimulus”		 Anderson & Lightfoot 1999
(skim “Organic Basis”);
Chomsky 1988, Excerpt #1
F 10/5
6 Tu 10/9 What is Universal Grammar? Baker 2001, Ch. 1-3;
Chomsky 1988, Excerpt #2
W 10/10
F 10/12 In-class Quiz #2
7 M 10/15 The developmental course of language acquisition Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 8;
Eimas 1985
W 10/17
F 10/19
8 M 10/22 Learning vs. growth: Genetic disruptions
in language acquisition		 Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 9;
Lenhoff et al. 1997
W 10/24 Learning vs. growth: “Critical period” effects
in language acquisition		 Gould & Marler 1987;
Newport 2002
F 10/26 The acquisition and creation of signed languages
(guest lecture by Joan Nash)		 Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 7,
Ch. 10 (126-130)
Optional: Senghas et al. 2004
9 M 10/29 Hurricane Sandy!
W 10/31 Pidgins and creoles: Evidence for Universal Grammar? Bickerton 1983
F 11/2 In-class Quiz #3
10 M 11/5 Sentence comprehension and “garden paths” Whitney 1998, Ch. 7
(204-222)
W 11/7
F 11/9 What can “slips of the tongue” show us
about sentence production?		 Fromkin 1973;
Motley 1985
11 M 11/12
W 11/14 Neural substrates of language Jackendoff 1994, Ch. 11;
Optional (but recommended):
Hickok et al. 2001, Sacks 2005
F 11/16
12 M 11/19 In-class Quiz #4
W 11/21 Fall Recess
F 11/23 Fall Recess
13 M 11/26 Is human language unique?
Human vs. animal communication		 Anderson 2004, Ch. 2;
“The Honey Bee Dance Language”
W 11/28 Anderson 2004, Ch. 10
F 11/30 The evolution of human language Carstairs-McCarthy 2000
14 M 12/3
W 12/5 Does language shape thought?
Linguistic determinism and linguistic relativity		 Whitney 1998, Ch. 4 (114-127);
Optional: Pullum 1989
F 12/7 Optional: Boroditsky 2001
15 M 12/10 Course Wrap-up
W 12/12 No Class
16 W 12/19 Final Exam (12:30-2:30pm)