Richard P. Meier

This research course is designed to expose the student to trends and theories within the field of signed language linguistics.  Students will learn about various approaches for collecting and analyzing developmental and adult data.  Discussions will cover key details of documentary, behavioral, and instrumental studies, and students will be exposed to various methods of data analysis.  Various statistical approaches will be addressed, as appropriate.  Students will also learn about aspects of preparing for and delivering presentations and publishing research findings.

This research course is designed to expose the student to trends and theories within the field of signed language linguistics.  Students will learn about various approaches for collecting and analyzing developmental and adult data.  Discussions will cover key details of documentary, behavioral, and instrumental studies, and students will be exposed to various methods of data analysis.  Various statistical approaches will be addressed, as appropriate.  Students will also learn about aspects of preparing for and delivering presentations and publishing research findings.

Examines the grammar of signed languages, their use in signing communities, and the acquisition of signed languages as first languages.  No knowledge of American Sign Language is required.  May not be counted toward fulfillment of the foreign language requirement for any bachelor’s degree.

This research course is designed to expose the student to trends and theories within the field of signed language linguistics.  Students will learn about various approaches for collecting and analyzing developmental and adult data.  Discussions will cover key details of documentary, behavioral, and instrumental studies, and students will be exposed to various methods of data analysis.  Various statistical approaches will be addressed, as appropriate.  Students will also learn about aspects of preparing for and delivering presentations and publishing research findings.

This research course is designed to expose the student to trends and theories within the field of signed language linguistics.  Students will learn about various approaches for collecting and analyzing developmental and adult data.  Discussions will cover key details of documentary, behavioral, and instrumental studies, and students will be exposed to various methods of data analysis.  Various statistical approaches will be addressed, as appropriate.  Students will also learn about aspects of preparing for and delivering presentations and publishing research findings.

One of the most important findings of the last 25 years of linguistic research is that the sign languages of the Deaf are natural languages with their own grammars. Moreover, the grammars of these sign languages are independent of whatever spoken language is used in the same community. The existence of sign languages provides an importanttesting ground for many claims about the nature of human languages: by comparing the structure of signed and spoken languages, we gain insights into how languages are shaped by the particular transmission modality in which they are used. To what extent are spoken languages structured the way they are because they are spoken and heard? To what extent are signed languages structured the way they are because they are signed and seen? And, lastly, to what extent are all languages--signed or spoken--structured similarly because they all draw on the same linguistic and cognitive capacities? Among the issues that we will discuss are: 1) How have sign languages been viewed over the last 200 years? 2) How have sign languages developed? 3) Non-signers are often impressed by the pictorial quality (i.e., the iconicity) of many signs in American Sign Language (ASL). Does iconicity have an important impact on the grammatical structure of sign languages? 4) How are the grammars of ASL and other sign languages structured? 5) How are sign languages acquired by deaf children who are being raised in signing households? 6) How do systems such as Manually Coded English differ from American Sign Langauge? 7)What are signing communities like? We will, for example, compare the signing community that once existed on Martha's Vineyard to other signing communities such as the larger American Deaf community and the Nicaraguan Deaf community.

This course is an introduction to the linguistic and psychological issues involved in the study of how children acquire a first language. Among the questions to be considered are: 1) What is the biological basis for language acquisition? 2) Is the capacity to acquire and use language a ability that is specific to humans? 3) How dependent is the child on the linguistic environment? 4) Does parental reinforcement guide the child's acquisition of language? 5) What is the developmental time course for language? What is the relationship between prelinguistic developments, such as babbling, and the emergence of the child's first words? When do children first produce simple sentences? What kinds of errors do children characteristically make? 6) Are visual-gestural languages, such as American Sign Language, acquired in a different fashion than spoken languages? and 7) Are children better at language learning than adults?


Grading Policy:

Three tests (75% total); three short reaction papers discussing the readings (25% total).

Texts

Erika Hoff. (2008). Language Development. Also: A set of key papers (available on Blackboard) reporting research on language acquisition.

For detailed Course Schedule, download attachment.

Course requirements: Readings, 2 research exercises , discussion notes on the readings, and class participation (including question sets about readings).

Readings: The readings will be a set of important papers on language acquisition.  Those papers will be available on BlackBoard. It’s important that all readings be read in a timely fashion, that is, before the relevant class period.  

I may make a few changes in the readings as the semester progresses.  So stay tuned.

Discussion notes: To foster your understanding and integration of the readings, you will be asked 1) to submit brief questions about the readings, and 2) to turn in four “discussion notes.”  The discussion notes will be two- to three-page critical commentaries on one of the papers from the period prior to (and including) the due date (or your notes may concern a closely related subset of those readings.)  These notes should not be a summary of what you have read.  Rather, they should be evaluative: what’s right about the paper and why?  Do you have concerns about the paper?  If so,  what are they?  Or, you might suggest an additional study/experiment that would help resolve the issues raised in the paper.  Or, if you happen to know of literature not discussed in class that is of particular relevance to whatever paper you are commenting on, discuss that literature.  In some instances, I have assigned review chapters that do not constitute the original, primary report of an empirical study.  In these instances, any concerns that you might have about the experimental methods used in the studies reviewed in such chapters should cause you to go off to PCL, or to go online, to track down the primary reference.

            Due dates: 9/20, 10/11, 11/6, 11/27

Questions regarding the readings: Seven times over the course of the semester, I ask each of you to submit three questions or comments regarding the week’s readings.  These questions can be small (e.g., the meaning of some term) or big (e.g., how author X’s claims can be reconciled with those of Y).  These questions are to 1) make sure that the class is on top of the readings, and 2) to help me to organize class discussion.  I would generally expect that your questions will get more sophisticated as the semester progresses.  Please submit these questions via email; in your subject line state “Question Set 3” or “Question Set 4”, etc.  You can submit these on your own schedule.

Research exercises: The two research exercises will be designed to provide you with some experience working with data from native speakers of child language.  Your task will be to use data available from the Child Language Data Exchange System.

http://childes.psy.cmu.edu/

This site at Carnegie-Mellon University has an extensive array of samples of children’s spontaneous speech.  As you’ll notice there are transcripts from a variety of languages—not just English.  The transcripts have also been extensively annotated, specifically with regard to the part of speech of children’s words.  I’ll soon be handing out a detailed handout that describes that the first assignment.  In the meantime, you might want to start looking around on the CHILDES site.

In all your writing for this class, please follow a standard manual of style: either that of the LSA or the APA Publication Manual.  Pay close attention to issues of how to cite the literature, reference style, and the formatting of tables and figures.

Method of evaluation: The research exercises will count 50% of your grade, with each counting 25%.  The 4 discussion notes will make up 40% of your course grade. Class participation, including the question sets, will count 10%.

Note that it should go without saying that the work you turn in for this class will represent your own efforts.  Plagiarism--that is, turning in work that is not your own--will merit an F (specifically, a zero) for the assignment in question.  Note that copying material from a published (or unpublished) source without proper citation and without the use of quotation marks constitutes plagiarism.

For a detailed Course Schedule, download attachment.

One of the most important findings of the last 25 years of linguistic research is that the sign languages of the Deaf are natural languages with their own grammars. Moreover, the grammars of these sign languages are independent of whatever spoken language is used in the same community. The existence of sign languages provides an important
testing ground for many claims about the nature of human languages: by comparing the structure of signed and spoken languages, we gain insights into how languages are shaped by the particular transmission modality in which they are used. To what extent are spoken languages structured the way they are because they are spoken and heard? To what extent are signed languages structured the way they are because they are signed and seen? And, lastly, to what extent are all languages--signed or spoken--structured similarly because they all draw on the same linguistic and cognitive capacities? Among the issues that we will discuss are: 1) How have sign languages been viewed over the last 200 years? 2) How have sign languages developed? 3) Non-signers are often impressed by the pictorial quality (i.e., the iconicity) of many signs in American Sign Language (ASL). Does iconicity have an important impact on the grammatical structure of sign languages? 4) How are the grammars of ASL and other sign languages structured? 5) How are sign languages acquired by deaf children who are being raised in signing households? 6) How do systems such as Manually Coded English differ from American Sign Langauge? 7)What are signing communities like? We will, for example, compare the signing community that once existed on Martha's Vineyard to other signing communities such as the larger American Deaf community and the Nicaraguan Deaf community.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

One of the most important findings of the last 25 years of linguistic research is that the sign languages of the Deaf are natural languages with their own grammars. Moreover, the grammars of these sign languages are independent of whatever spoken language is used in the same community. The existence of sign languages provides an important
testing ground for many claims about the nature of human languages: by comparing the structure of signed and spoken languages, we gain insights into how languages are shaped by the particular transmission modality in which they are used. To what extent are spoken languages structured the way they are because they are spoken and heard? To what extent are signed languages structured the way they are because they are signed and seen? And, lastly, to what extent are all languages--signed or spoken--structured similarly because they all draw on the same linguistic and cognitive capacities? Among the issues that we will discuss are: 1) How have sign languages been viewed over the last 200 years? 2) How have sign languages developed? 3) Non-signers are often impressed by the pictorial quality (i.e., the iconicity) of many signs in American Sign Language (ASL). Does iconicity have an important impact on the grammatical structure of sign languages? 4) How are the grammars of ASL and other sign languages structured? 5) How are sign languages acquired by deaf children who are being raised in signing households? 6) How do systems such as Manually Coded English differ from American Sign Langauge? 7)What are signing communities like? We will, for example, compare the signing community that once existed on Martha's Vineyard to other signing communities such as the larger American Deaf community and the Nicaraguan Deaf community.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

One of the most important findings of the last 25 years of linguistic research is that the sign languages of the Deaf are natural languages with their own grammars. Moreover, the grammars of these sign languages are independent of whatever spoken language is used in the same community. The existence of sign languages provides an important
testing ground for many claims about the nature of human languages: by comparing the structure of signed and spoken languages, we gain insights into how languages are shaped by the particular transmission modality in which they are used. To what extent are spoken languages structured the way they are because they are spoken and heard? To what extent are signed languages structured the way they are because they are signed and seen? And, lastly, to what extent are all languages--signed or spoken--structured similarly because they all draw on the same linguistic and cognitive capacities? Among the issues that we will discuss are: 1) How have sign languages been viewed over the last 200 years? 2) How have sign languages developed? 3) Non-signers are often impressed by the pictorial quality (i.e., the iconicity) of many signs in American Sign Language (ASL). Does iconicity have an important impact on the grammatical structure of sign languages? 4) How are the grammars of ASL and other sign languages structured? 5) How are sign languages acquired by deaf children who are being raised in signing households? 6) How do systems such as Manually Coded English differ from American Sign Langauge? 7)What are signing communities like? We will, for example, compare the signing community that once existed on Martha's Vineyard to other signing communities such as the larger American Deaf community and the Nicaraguan Deaf community.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course will introduce you to linguistics, the scientific study of language. How are human languages structured? Do humans have an innate capacity for language? How do children learn language? How is adult language learning different? How did the languages of the world evolve? What are the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication? Is there a "universal grammar"? How diverse and different are the languages of the world? How much does "language endangerment" and language extinction around the world affect global cultural diversity? Should every country have one "official" language? Are standard languages preferable to regional dialects? In short, this class is about everything you always wanted to know about language, and maybe a few things you never even thought to ask.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course is an introduction to formal syntax, which refers to the use of a mathematically precise formalism to model the syntax of human languages.  Formulating precise models allows us to study the properties of particular human languages empirically, testing our theories against the challenge of new data.  The course will introduce students to Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG).  In HPSG, the words of a language are equipped with information about the way they combine with other words and phrases and the meaning of the resulting combination.   The forms and meanings of the parts of a sentence are combined bit by bit until we derive a meaning for the whole sentence. The lexicon also encodes the systematic relations between word forms, such as voice alternations and derivational cognates.  Since HPSG is a complete, fully explicit framework for grammatical description, students will be able to grasp the workings of an entire language, from morphemes to words to sentences, including a formal semantic system for representing meaning.  This is a hands-on course in which we will tackle syntax puzzles of increasing complexity.  LIN 372L is not an official prerequisite, but it is recommended as background to this course.

Textbook: Ivan Sag, Thomas Wasow, and Emily Bender. 2003. Syntactic Theory: A Formal Introduction, 2nd Edition. Stanford: CSLI Publications.

Basis for grading:  Class participation (10%), Problem sets (60%), Tests (30%)

Prerequisites:  LIN 306

Conference Course in Linguistics. Supervised research. Conference course. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor and the linguistics graduate adviser.

This course will introduce you to linguistics, the scientific study of language. How are human languages structured? Do humans have an innate capacity for language? How do children learn language? How is adult language learning different? How did the languages of the world evolve? What are the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication? Is there a "universal grammar"? How diverse and different are the languages of the world? How much does "language endangerment" and language extinction around the world affect global cultural diversity? Should every country have one "official" language? Are standard languages preferable to regional dialects? In short, this class is about everything you always wanted to know about language, and maybe a few things you never even thought to ask.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

Preparation of a report to fulfill the requirement for the master's degree under the report option.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing in linguistics and consent of the graduate adviser.

Hour(s) to be arranged. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only.

This course will introduce you to linguistics, the scientific study of language. How are human languages structured? Do humans have an innate capacity for language? How do children learn language? How is adult language learning different? How did the languages of the world evolve? What are the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication? Is there a "universal grammar"? How diverse and different are the languages of the world? How much does "language endangerment" and language extinction around the world affect global cultural diversity? Should every country have one "official" language? Are standard languages preferable to regional dialects? In short, this class is about everything you always wanted to know about language, and maybe a few things you never even thought to ask.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course will introduce you to linguistics, the scientific study of language. How are human languages structured? Do humans have an innate capacity for language? How do children learn language? How is adult language learning different? How did the languages of the world evolve? What are the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication? Is there a "universal grammar"? How diverse and different are the languages of the world? How much does "language endangerment" and language extinction around the world affect global cultural diversity? Should every country have one "official" language? Are standard languages preferable to regional dialects? In short, this class is about everything you always wanted to know about language, and maybe a few things you never even thought to ask.

This course is an introduction to the typological study of language – the investigation into the nature of human language as informed by cross-linguistic comparison.  Despite the immense variation among the world’s languages, basic patterns emerge through large-scale comparison of linguistic phenomena, allowing the identification of cross-linguistic universals and tendencies. This course will explore these patterns and investigate explanations for their existence, appealing primarily to the communicative  function of language and the historical evolution of languages in doing so.

This course is an introduction to formal syntax, which refers to the use of a mathematically precise formalism to model the syntax of human languages.  Formulating precise models allows us to study the properties of particular human languages empirically, testing our theories against the challenge of new data.  The course will introduce students to Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG).  In HPSG, the words of a language are equipped with information about the way they combine with other words and phrases and the meaning of the resulting combination.   The forms and meanings of the parts of a sentence are combined bit by bit until we derive a meaning for the whole sentence. The lexicon also encodes the systematic relations between word forms, such as voice alternations and derivational cognates.  Since HPSG is a complete, fully explicit framework for grammatical description, students will be able to grasp the workings of an entire language, from morphemes to words to sentences, including a formal semantic system for representing meaning.  This is a hands-on course in which we will tackle syntax puzzles of increasing complexity.  LIN 372L is not an official prerequisite, but it is recommended as background to this course.

Textbook: Ivan Sag, Thomas Wasow, and Emily Bender. 2003. Syntactic Theory: A Formal Introduction, 2nd Edition. Stanford: CSLI Publications.

Basis for grading:  Class participation (10%), Problem sets (60%), Tests (30%)

Prerequisites:  LIN 306