Wayne State University

Instructor: Nicholas Fleisher

T R, 1:25-2:50, 1162 MAIN

 

 

 

This course is intended for students who are interested in the diversity of languages spoken in the world but who have no formal training in linguistics. During the first three weeks of this course foundational topics will be introduced that give students the means to describe languages encountered later. Major units of discussion include writing systems, the historical spread of languages, language policy, language life cycles, and the structure of language. Students will be taught linguistic methods and tools in order to examine the similarities and differences found in the world’s languages. Several in-class experiments with speakers of unfamiliar languages will be conducted to simulate linguistic fieldwork.

 

T R, 6:00-7:20, 46 DRY

 

 

 

This course will survey the major structural features of Standard English at the levels of sounds (phonemes, syllables, stress, intonation), words (word category, word inflection, word derivation), and sentences (basic sentence patterns, agreement, coordination, subordination).  The relations of spoken English to written English will be addressed, especially with regard to the relation of how sounds to spelling, and sentence structure to punctuation.  This new course replaces LIN/ENG 2720 as the requirement for English Education majors and minors who plan to teach at the elementary level.

 

Instructor: Gregory Novack

M W, 1:55-3:45, 135 STAT

 

Formal, extensive treatment of first-order predicate logic with emphasis on the notions of a formal logical language and truth in a model; the logic of identity; definite descriptions; brief introductions to set theory and the metatheory of propositional and first-order logic; some additional advanced topics to be selected by the instructor.

 

Instructor: Jean Andruski

T R, 9:35 a.m-11:00 a.m., 106 MAIN

 

Multisensory study of sounds in the English Language, emphasizing acoustic, physiologic, kinesiologic approaches.  Material fee as indicated in the Schedule of Classes.

 

Instructor: Haiyong Liu

M W, 3:00-4:20, 215 MANO

 

This class surveys major language families and languages in Asia, with respect to their sound system, lexicon, grammar, language contact, and writing system, etc. We will also study what these seemingly unrelated languages share in common and why they differ.

Instructor: Ljiljana Progovac

T, 6:00-9:00, 237 STAT

 

The course examines the structure of phrases and sentences in English and other languages, using the framework of one of the most recent approaches to syntax, the Minimalist Program. The goal of the theory is not only to discover various subconscious principles and rules that make up grammars of all human languages, but also to express these rules in the most economical terms possible. The course is required of linguistics majors and should also appeal to anyone with an interest in the structure of human language. Successful completion of ENG/LIN 2720, ENG/LIN 5700, or ENG/LIN 5730 is recommended but not required. Course requirements include regular attendance, homework assignments, and three exams.

Instructor: Stephen Chrisomalis

T R, 3:00-4:25, 1111 MAIN

 

Interconnections of language and culture in distant and local communities, in contexts where languages are declining or developing anew, and in life cycle and ordinary contexts of daily life. Students explore their own language and cultural backgrounds and those to which they are drawn.

 

Instructor: Derek Daniels

T R, 11:45-1:10, 237 STAT

 

Language development in children and the associated areas of emotional and motor development; language stimulation techniques and programs.

 

Instructor: Thomas Michael McKinsey

M W, 4:30-6:20, 37 STAT

 

Intensive investigation and discussion of philosophical problems concerning meaning, truth, and the nature of language.

 

Instructor: Geoffrey Nathan

T R, 4:30-5:50, 212 STAT

 

This course is an introduction to the scientific study of human language, with the goal to account for our unconscious knowledge of language. It is concerned with three primary levels of structure: the level of sound (phonetics and phonology), the level of words (morphology) and the level of phrases and sentences (syntax). The course will also include a brief introduction to the linguistic study of meaning (semantics). Classes will consist of lecture, discussion, and problem-solving sessions involving a wide sample of languages. Requirements for the class include homework assignments and participation, two midterm exams, and one final exam.

 

Instructor: Stephen Pobutsky

R, 6:00-9:00, 208 STAT

 

English/Linguistics 5720 is a course in applied linguistics. It is essentially an introductory course in linguistics (the scientific study of language) with a focus on linguistic applications to the field of education. Language is an integral part of teaching, not only within the framework of a language arts curriculum, but also in the context of current issues in contemporary society, such as cultural and linguistic diversity, language acquisition, and literacy. This course covers fundamental areas of linguistics: first and second language acquisition; phonology, the relation between words and their component sounds, phonemic awareness and the written representation of phonemes; morphology, the internal structure of words, word etymology; and syntax, the hierarchical patterns that generate sentence structure. We will also be examining the English language in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. All of the coursework consists in the analysis of English and is designed to be applied to the field of teaching, in the areas of curriculum, methodology, and content. Classwork consists of readings (textbook and course packets), homework, in-class tests, a cumulative final exam and a final research paper/project.

 

Instructor: Nicholas Fleisher

T, 6:00-9:00, 1129 MAIN

 

English grammar provides in-depth examination of the grammatical constructions and rules of English, including the structure of sentences, noun phrases, and verb phrases. Teaching methods for the class include lectures, discussion, and sentence-analysis. The text is Marilyn Silva’s "Grammar in Many Voices." Requirements for the class include homework quizzes and participation, two midterm exams and the final exam.

 

Instructor: Catherine Barrette

M, 4:30-7:15, 64 MANO

 

This course introduces students to a critical examination of the multiple factors that influence language acquisition, the various theories than have been offered to explain the complex processes involved in learning a foreign/second language, and the role of instruction in second language acquisistion.  Students will also develop skills in critically reading and evaluating research on second language acquistion.

Instructor: Ljiljana Progovac

Arranged

 

 

Instructor: Jean Andruski

T R, 1:25-2:50, 325 STAT

 

This course examines the physical nature of speech and provides students with the opportunity to learn and use computer techniques for analyzing prosody, voice quality, and perceptual cues to vowel and consonant sounds. Goals of the course include understanding the physical nature of sounds produced by vocal fold vibration and noise sources in the human vocal tract, understanding the acoustic characteristics of the different sound manner classes used in English, understanding prominent theories of speech perception, and being able to read and understand research articles on the measurement and comparison of speech samples using acoustic analysis methods. Although the focus is on English, the measurement techniques discussed are applicable to all languages.

 

Instructor: Ljiljana Progovac

R, 6:00-9:00, 1129 MAIN

 

The course provides an overview of the basic issues and analytical techniques in the study of the internal structure of words, and it should appeal to anyone interested in the range of possibilities when it comes to structuring human language. We will explore the principles of morphology as manifested in a number of Indo-European and non-Indo-European languages. The course also fulfills the seminar requirement for MA linguistics students. Successful completion of ENG 2720 or ENG 5700 is recommended but not required. Course requirements include regular attendance, homework assignments, one midterm exam, and the student’s choice of either the final exam or paper.

 

Instructor: Ljiljana Progovac

Arranged

 

Instructor: Ljiljana Progovac

Arranged