University of Connecticut Course Title: Language and Mind (LING 1010) Credits: 3 Prerequisites: None Instructor: David Michaels, Ph.D. Language and Mind LING 1010 Course Information and Requirements E-mail: Please send all correspondence to me using the Messages tool in HuskyCT. Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-9am - Messages can be sent to me within HuskyCT (using the Messages tool) at any time. I will address your questions and issues every morning as indicated. There are no office hours on campus. Required : There is no textbook for this course, but Required can be found in the Library's Electronic Course Reserves from the Library Resources link on the left navigational course menu. Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton. Pp 1-25. Chomsky, N. (1959). A Review of B. F. Skinner's Verbal Behavior. Language 35. 26-58. Chomsky, N. (1965). Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Pp 3-27. Chomsky, N. and M. Halle. (1968). The Sound Pattern of English. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Pp 3-14. Crain S. and D. Lillo-Martin. (1999). An Introduction to Linguistic Theory and Language Acquisition. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Pp 4-51 and 153-163. Hale, K. (1971). A Note on a Walbiri tradition of Antonymy. In D. Steinberg and L. Jakobovits (eds), Semantics: An Interdisciplinary Reader. Pp 472-482. Halle, M. (1978), Knowledge Unlearned and Untaught: What Speakers know about the Sounds of Their Language. In M. Halle, J. Bresnan and G. Miller (eds), Linguistic Theory and Psychological Reality (pp. 294-303). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Pp 294-303. Hoenigswald, H. (1950). The Principal Step in Comparative Grammar. Language 26. 357-364. Lasnik, H. (1990). Syntax. In D. N. Osherson and H. Lasnik (eds), An Invitation to Cognitive Science, Vol. 1: Language (pp. 5-21). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Pp 5-21. Michaels, D. 1977. Linguistic Relativity and Colour Terminology. Language and Speech. 20.333-343. Sapir, E. 1949. The Psychological Reality of Phonemes. In D. G. Mandelbum (ed). Selected Writings of Edward Sapir. Pp. 46-50. Whorf, B. (1956), Language, Thought and Reality.. In J. B. Carroll (ed), Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf. Cambrige, MA: MIT Press. Pp 134-145.
The developer of this course is Dr. David Michaels, Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at the University of Connecticut. All images, charts, graphs in this course were created by the instructor or are in the public domain with citations provided for Fair Use. Course Description Language and Mind is a first course in linguistics at the University of Connecticut. There has been a great deal of research into language in the last fifty years as a specific faculty of the mind. Some of this research has focused on how knowledge of language is organized in the mind. It deals with the creative properties of knowledge of language, properties that allow speakers to produce and understand an unlimited number of sentences. This research includes the organization of sentence structures (syntax), of word structures (morphology) and of sound structures (phonology) in the mind of the speaker/hearer. Other research has focused on how knowledge of language is acquired: What parts are built in or innate properties of the language faculty of the mind, What parts acquired by experience. This aspect of the research includes experimental studies with children. The research is designed to examine the stages of development leading to adult-like knowledge of language. It also addresses whether that knowledge is available in their experience or must be attributed to the innate structure of the mind. Both of these research topics are the focus of this course. At the end of the course, you will be able to: Course Goals 1. Perform linguistic analysis. 2. Analyze theoretical framework developed by Noam Chomsky called generative or transformational grammar. 3. Analyze sentence structures (syntax), word structures (morphology), and sound patterns (phonology). 4. Reflect on his/her own use of language through written exercises. 5. Evaluate studies on language acquisition introducing you to experimental methods. Try Out the FYE Ask Ali Study Strategies Click Ask Ali Videos to listen to Ali, a very successful student at UConn, share study strategies that have worked well for her. To view the videos you will be asked to enter your UConn Net ID (the same username and password you used to log into this course). UConn Connects and the First Year Programs offer an array of courses, a network for personal support, interactive online resources, and unique living/learning experiences to help students at the University of Connecticut achieve success from the start. Course Organization, Grading, Exams, and Activities One of the great advantages of the online environment is that it allows for self-paced learning within the limits set for each module. You can organize your study in a way that is convenient for you to complete the work within the general deadlines provided in the calendar of modules. Be aware that you must submit your first posting of the discussion board of each module within the first day of the module. All the modules of the course are designed in the same way. This is what you are expected to do in each module: Read the lectures In each module you are expected to begin by reading the lectures and any readings specified in the lecture portion of the module. Required As explained above, there is no required text but there are required readings listed above. The readings are available to you as Library Electronic Course Reserves and can be accessed using the Library Resources button on the left navigational course menu.
Assignments At the end of each lecture there are graded assignments. All assignments must be completed by the close of each module (refer to the Course Outline & Calendar below for specific due dates). The assignments are intended to test your understanding of the material in the lecture and/or reading. They should be viewed as part of the learning experience of each module. 1. Written assignments The written assignments will appear in most modules and each will be worth 1 point. 2. Participate in the discussion board There is an online discussion for each module. The discussion board is the equivalent in the online learning environment of a class discussion in the traditional face-to-face learning environment. This is an important learning activity in each module. The discussion boards are an integral part of the course content. You should be able to clarify substantive items in the lectures and readings for yourself by others inputs or help others by your input. The discussion boards are meant to be informal opportunities to go over the material in the module. You will have the opportunity to raise questions for other students, or to answer questions others may have. Your participation is required, since it is through discussion that the course experience is enhanced for everybody. s will appear in each module and each will be worth 1 point. 3. Four Exams There are four required exams. Each examination will last one hour. There will be a two-hour period allotted for the final exam. Each exam will cover the materials since the previous exam. Grading Scale Graded Item Written Assignments s Exams Total Points Points 1 point each 1 point each 20 points each 100 points Grade Breakdown: Points for each assignment, discussion, and examination will contribute to your grade. Your grade is determined by equating the points you earn to the letter grades as follows: 93-100 A 90-92 A- 87-89 B+ 83-86 B 80-82 B- 77-79 C+ 73-76 C 70-72 C- 67-69 D+ 63-66 D 60-62 D- 0-59 F
Academic Honesty and Student Code All exercises, quizzes, and examinations are open-book and open-notes. However, except for the exercises, you cannot communicate with any other person or persons in any fashion whatsoever while in the process of taking the quizzes or examinations. I expect everyone to follow this code of conduct. In the unfortunate event where someone is found in violation of this policy, it will be handled according to the Student Code of the University (see below), which may be found on the website of the Division of Student Affairs. Pay special attention to Appendix A: Academic Integrity in Undergraduate Education and Research. If you have any questions, please check with me. Academic dishonesty of any type will not be tolerated in this class. Students should refer to the Student Code (see section on Academic Integrity - http://www.dos.uconn.edu/student_code.html) for specific guidelines. Accessibility Issues Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Center for Students with Disabilities (486-2020) as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Course Outline & Calendar Module Open Date: Close (Due) Date: See each Module's Objectives and Activities page for complete assignment information Module 1: What is linguistics? June 3, 2013 June 4, 2013 Writing Assignment Module 2: Knowledge of Language June 5, 2013 June 6, 2013 Module 3: Plato's Problem June 7, 2013 June 10, 2013 Module 4: Syntax1 Phrase Structure June 11, 2013 June 12, 2013 First Exam June 13, 2013 June 13, 2013
Module 5: Syntax 2 Transformations June 14, 2013 June 17, 2013 Module 6: Morphology June 18, 2013 June 19, 2013 Module 7: Phonology 1, Features June 20, 2013 June 23, 2013 MIDTERM (Second) EXAM June 24, 2013 June 24, 2013 Module 8: Phonology 2, Rules June 25, 2013 June 26, 2013 Module 9: Language Change June 27, 2013 June 29, 2013 Module 10: Semantics July 1, 2013 July 2, 2013 THIRD EXAMINATION July 3, 2013 July 3, 2013 Module 11: Language Acquisition July 4, 2013 July 7, 2013 Module 12: Experimental Evidence July 8, 2013 July 9, 2013
Module 13: Summing Up July 10, 2013 July 11, 2013 FINAL EXAM July 12, 2013 July 12, 2013 Required Software Please ensure that you have downloaded the following required plug-ins: Acrobat Reader If you encounter technical problems, please contact the UConn Digital Learning Center (DLC), 860-486-1187. Updated: 05/22/2013