Syllabus & Course Policies
Section C: T/Th, 9:30-10:45
Fall 2005
Dickinson 112
instructor: Helen Stickney (graduate student)
contact Info: hstickne@linguist.umass.edu
office hours: 316 South College, Thursdays 11:30-12:30 and by appointment
campus mailbox: 226 South College
Purpose of Course: This course is a formal introduction to theoretical problems involved in the study of Linguistics. You will learn some of the facts that the study of Linguistics is concerned with, some of the theories that seek to explain them, and some skill in solving linguistic problems and developing and comparing theories. This course satisfies the R2 requirement, and is a more formal alternative to Linguistics 101. It is a requirement for students wishing to major in Linguistics.
Webpage: You can check your grades and see other class related information on the course webpage: http://people.umass.edu/hstickne/index_files/201h.html
Textbook:
William O'Grady; John Archibald; Mark Aronoff; and Janie Rees-Miller.
2005. Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction. Bedford/St. Martin's. 5th Edition. ISBN: 0312419368.The textbook can be purchased at Amherst Books, 8 Main St., Amherst. A copy of the textbook will also be on reserve in the UMASS library.
Readings and Assignments: Most readings will be from the textbook. Additional readings may be handed out in class. There will be approximately ten homework assignments. Readings and homework assignments must be completed before the day on which they are due [because we will discuss them in class].
Please put your student ID number at the top of all homework assignments and tests so that I can more easily enter your grades on the website.
Late Work: Because we will discuss homework assignments on the day that they are due, I will not accept late homework assignments. If you know that you will be absent on the day that the assignment is due, please make arrangements to turn in your homework to me sometime before the due date, or put the assignment (early) in my mailbox in 226 South College.
Attendance: Lectures, enlightening details, and valuable discussions will be available only in class. Attendace counts for 10% of your grade. Attending class will not only enhance your grade, but greatly improve your ability to do well in other aspects of the course. If I feel that you are not attending enough to succeed, I will advise you to withdraw from the course.
Lecture Notes: Each day after class I will post lecture notes on the website regarding what we covered in class. Reading these lecture notes will not serve you as a substitute for attending class. The lecture notes will give you some idea of what I consider important from the day’s lecture. You may find them useful as I do not normally distribute handouts (regarding the lecture) during class. It is a good idea to occasionally compare the notes you took in class with the online notes to make sure there are no important topics that you’ve missed. If you feel that there is something missing from the lecture notes for any given day please feel free to email me and I will edit them accordingly.
I will also use the lecture notes as a place to link for further reading if you find you are interested in going further into topics than we will have a chance to in class. I will also provide topical links to things that I find amusing or interesting.
There is a link to the lecture notes on the course webpage, or go directly to: http://people.umass.edu/hstickne/index_files/lecture_notes.htm
Grading: Attendance: 10%
Homework: 45%
Quizzes, Midterm & Final: 45%
There will be approximately ten homework assignments. There will be two quizzes, each counting for 5%, one midterm counting for 15%, and one final exam counting for 20% of your final grade. Your grades can be viewed at:
http://people.umass.edu/hstickne/index_files/your_grades.htm
Extra Credit: There will be extra credit opportunities throughout the semester. I will let you know when these opportunities arise. You are also highly encouraged to participate in one of the many linguistics experiments going on throughout the semester. Linguistics faculty and graduate students are often running experiments that need subjects. If you participate in an experiment during the course of the semester (and bring me proof of your participation – a smoldering broomstick would suffice), I will drop your lowest homework grade for the semester. Any additional experiment will add one point to your final grade. You can sign up to participate in a linguistics experiment here:
http://wwwx.oit.umass.edu/%7Elinguist/esdb/
Cheating: You
are encouraged to work together on homework assignments, however, when it comes
time to write up and submit your homework, you must do it on your own. If you work with another student,
please write that person’s name on the top of your homework assignment so that
I will be aware if I come across similarities. The first time you are caught cheating on an assignment or
an exam you will receive a zero for that assignment/exam. The second time you are caught cheating
you will fail the course. The
Department policy states all students are expected to adhere
scrupulously to the University policy concerning academic honesty, which can be
found at the following website:
http://www.umass.edu/dean_students/rights/acad_honest.htm
General Note: I have
set some dates below for exams and a basic schedule of which weeks we will be
discussing what. However, the form
this course takes will be influenced by your input. Issues such as how much group work we do in class, how long
we spend on any given topic, and which side topics we investigate will develop
as part of an open dialogue between all of us. So please participate as much as possible in class and send
me emails about your thoughts at any time.
Preliminary Sketch of a Calendar:
(To be updated at the beginning of the
semester)
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Week One |
Introduction to Linguistics: Language, Grammar & Innateness |
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Sept 8: Introduction |
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Week Two |
Language, Grammar & Innateness |
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Sept 13: Grammar |
Sept. 15: Innateness |
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Week Three |
Language, Grammar & Innateness |
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Sept 20: (Last day of Add/Drop) Constraints on Grammar |
Sept 22: Grammar |
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Week Four |
Phonetics |
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Sept 27: Articulatory Phonetics |
Sept 29: IPA - consonants |
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Week Five |
Phonetics |
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Oct 4: IPA – vowels / transcription |
Oct 6: quiz – grammaticality & phonetics |
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Week Six |
Phonology |
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Oct 11: |
Oct 13: |
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Week Seven |
Phonology |
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Oct 18: |
Oct 20: |
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Week Eight |
Phonology |
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Oct 25: |
Oct 27: midterm – Phonology/Phonetics |
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Week Nine |
Morphology |
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Nov 1: |
Nov 3: |
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Week Ten |
Morphology |
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Nov 8: |
Nov 10: |
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Week Eleven |
Morphology |
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Nov 15: |
Nov 17: quiz - morphology |
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Week Twelve |
Constituents and Categories |
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Nov 22: |
Thanksgiving Break |
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Week Thirteen |
Constituents and Categories -- Syntax |
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Nov 29: |
Dec 1: |
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Week Fourteen |
Syntax |
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Dec 6: |
Dec 8: |
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Week Fifteen |
Syntax/Semester Review |
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Dec 13: |
Reading Day |
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Week Sixteen |
Final Exam Week. Ling 201C Exam time/day TBA |
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