Course Description - Content

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

You have entered the fascinating world of human language. Enjoy the journey!

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

"It just so often happens that upon close scientific inquiry, what looks like an endless unconstrained realm of diversity on the surface is actually nothing but a finite set of principled manifestations of a common core of sameness."

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

Class meets twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3pm to 4:15, in Room 201 in the Main Library. Be there!

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

This course is an introduction to the main issues in the study of cross-linguistic variation, particularly from a formalist perspective. We will be mainly concerned with characterizing the notion "possible human language", showing how linguistic diversity is actually constrained and that certain universal principles hold of all languages. We will also discuss the kind of explanations for linguistic diversity that are typically given by two major schools of linguistic thought. Linguistic data will be drawn from both familiar as well as the so-called “exotic” languages, and linguistic phenomena will relate primarily to aspects of word formation (morphology) and sentence structure (syntax). In the second half of the term, we will discuss diversity in human language across space (e.g., geographical and social dialects) and time (language change), as well as “language emergence” as in the case of pidgins and creoles, “language death” and the case of endangered languages, minority languages as in the case of sign languages.

If it helps, you may think of the course as having three major parts, all relating to the issue of language diversity (check the class schedule here). In Part I, we start with a general introduction to the study of linguistic typology and the major issues typically discussed in this regard. Then we move on to Part II, where we look in detail at several instances of variation in syntactic phenomena (i.e., those related to sentence structures) as well as morphological phenomena (i.e., those related to word structure). In Part III of the course, we spend most of the second half of the term discussing linguistic diversity in historical and sociological terms, as well as issues relating to language birth and language death. We will end the course with a discussion of another fascinating aspect of linguistic diversity, that is, sign language systems, where the manual-visual modality replaces the audio-oral modality of spoken languages, thus helping us further in our pursuit to answering the fundamental question: "What is a possible human language?"

Should be a fun course. Welcome Everyone!

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:07:02 -0400

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

Title: The atoms of language: The Mind's Hidden Rules Of Grammar.
Author: Baker, Mark.
Publisher: New York: Basic Books.
Year of publication: 2001
ISBN 0465005225. Paperback.
URL: http://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/basic/book_detail.jsp?isbn=0465005225
(This book is available in the college booksotre)

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS

(1) Title: Possible and probable languages: A generative perspective on linguistic typology.
Author: Newmeyer, Frederick J.
Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press.
Year of publication: 2005
ISBN-10: 0-19-927434-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-19-927434-5 (Paperback)
URL: http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780199274345
(This book is available in the college booksotre)

(2) Title: Introduction to typology: The unity and diversity of language.
Author: Whaley, Lindsay.
Publisher: Sage Publications.
Year of publication: 1997 (or the most recent edition)
ISBN: 080395963x. Paperback.
URL: at amazon.com
(This book is available in the college booksotre)

(3) Title: Linguistic Typology: Morphology and Syntax.
Author: Song, Jae Jung.
Publisher: Pearson Education: Harlow and London.
Year of publication: 2001 (or the most recent edition)
ISBN: 0582312213. Paperback.
URL: http://vig.pearsonptr.com:8081/book_detail/0,2461,0582312213,00.html

With the exception of recommended book #3, all other books are on 2-hour reserve in the main library.I also put David Crystal's "The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language" on physical reserve. It's a good reference for some of the topics that we'll be covering in this class.

Readings will be assigned from the required textbook (essentially the whole book will be covered) as well as some parts of the recommended textbooks. More reading materials will be assigned for content not covered in the textbooks, particuarly in the second half of the term. These will be all articles or chapters from books. Many of these will be made available through electronic reserve, and links to them will be listed here as well as on the syllabus page.

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

This will be a reading-intensive course. Students are required to READ the textbook as well as all materials on reserve or on the course website that are assigned in class every week.

There will be FOUR ASSIGNMENTS to test your understanding of the material covered in class and to help you work on aspects of cross-linguistic variation on your own, applying the same reasoning and analytical tools that we’ll be discussing in class. Each homework counts for 10% of your overall grade. So, take them seriously! While I do not mind you discussing assignment questions with your colleagues, bear in mind that the work you turn in has to be yours, and yours alone. Copying someone else’s work will be treated as cheating, will receive no credit, and will be subject the consequences of violating academic integrity, as described in the College’s Academic Honesty Statement given at the bottom of this page.

In addition, studentS will be required to work in pairs on a LANGUAGE ADOPTION PROJECT (LAP) for an unfamiliar or endangered language. Details on this project will be posted here in due time. The LAP will be assigned on Oct 24 and is due on Dec 11 by 5pm. A brief project proposal is also required by Nov 7. A list of suggested languages and resources for the project will be posted here soon. Please note that no two LAP projects can be on the same language. After all, this is a course about “diversity”.

ATTENDANCE and CLASS PARTICIPATION are important to do well in this course. It’s impossible to do well on homework problems or write a good project report without attending classes regularly. And by “impossible” I really mean “impossible”.

Finally, students are required to take TWO TAKE-HOME EXAMS: a midterm and a final. The midterm exam will be assigned on Oct 19 and is due on Oct 26. The final exam, which will be comprehensive, will be assigned on Dec 12 and is due on Dec 19 by 5pm, which is the final exam time slot for this course on the registrar’s exam schedule.

Here's how each course requirement contributes to your overall percentage in the course:

Class attendance and participation (including doing the readings)	5%
4 Assignments	40%
Language Adoption Project (LAP)	15%
Take-home Midterm Exam	20%
Take-home Final Exam	20%

Here's how your letter grade will be assigned:

A+	97% plus
A	93% plus to 97%
A-	90% plus to 93%
B+	87% plus to 90%
B	83% plus to 87%
B-	80% plus to 83%
C+	77% plus to 80%
C	73% plus to 77%
C-	70% plus to 73%
D	60% plus to 70%
F	Less than 60%

Honor code

I will follow the Middlebury College’s Academic Honesty Statement as described here:

http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/acadinfo/honorcode/statement.htm

Please make sure to write the Honor Code Pledge "I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment," on both exams as well as the LAP report (use “We” in this latter case, since you’ll be working in pairs). There’s no need to write the pledge on the assignments since I do not mind your discussing homework problems together. Make sure, however, to turn in your own work. Copying someone else’s work on assignments will still count as cheating, will receive no credit, not to mention the consequences of violating academic integrity.

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

Thursday Nov 9

Here's today's slides:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/language_change_4.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial" />

As I announced in class, Assignment #3 will be posted online by Saturday morning at the very latest. Deadline is Nov 21.

Tuesday Oct 31

Today's slides are here:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/language_change_1.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

And the language change readings are here:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/fromkin_language_Change_1.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/fromkin_language_Change_2.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

See you all on Thursday.

Monday Oct 30

I posted your scores for the midterm exam here:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/web_INTD_grade_sheet.htm%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">
Friday Oct 27

I posted a one-page file with guideline questions for your LAP:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/LAP_guideline_questions.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

Depending on your LAP language, some of the questions will be relevant, some will not, but this should give you an idea of what you're expected to be looking for in the language. Have a nice weekend.

Saturday Oct 21

To make things clearer, I rephrased the definition of c-command on the last page of your midterm exam. You will need to print out this last page again (only the last page, everything else remains intact):

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/midterm.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

The .doc version of the exam is here:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/midterm.doc%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

I will explain the definition to you in class on Tuesday. Still, please make sure you work with the updated version of the definition. It should make things easier for you with that question. As usual, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. Enjoy the weekend.

Friday Oct 20

I posted the suggested solutions for Assignment #1 here:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/assignment1_solutions.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">
Wednesday Oct 18

Scores for Assignment #2 are now posted:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/web_INTD_grade_sheet.htm%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial"> I will return your assignments to you in class on Thursday, but you can also pick them up duirng the office hours today.

Monday Oct 9

I posted your scores for Assignment #1 here:

I will return your assignments to you in class tomorrow. Also, if you don't know your language code, e-mail me and I'll send it to you.

Friday Oct 6

I posted Assignment #2 on the course website. But here's the direct link:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/assignment2.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%253Cdiv%253E%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

It is due on Friday Oct 13th, by 5pm. You can either e-mail it to me, or drop it in the black organizer next to my office in Robert A. Jones B03.

By the way, I posted the assignment in .pdf and .doc formats, as usual. Notice, however, that since it has the Arborwin font, which I use to draw trees, the trees will not appear within the .doc file if you do not have this font installed on your computer, which is likely, since most (if not all) computers here do not have the font. I put the .doc file there, however, in case you want to copy and paste certain sections of the assignment, or in case you happen to have this font.

As usual, if you have questions, please come to my office hours, or set up an appointment.

Enjoy the weekend, everybody.

Satruday Sept 30
I'll be holding special office hours on Monday from 2pm to 4pm in RAJ B03, for general questions as well as questions specific to homework assignment #1. Please feel free to come by and talk to me if you have any questions.

Tuesday Sept 26

Assignment #1 is posted online. It’s due on Tuesday October 3 at 4:15pm in class (recommended), or by e-mail no later than 5pm.

Policy on delay in turning in assignments late:

        5% off if turned in after the deadline on the day it’s due (that means prior to midnight).
        10% off if turned in on the next day after the deadline.
        20% off if turned in later than that.
        Not accepted after I post the solutions (I know this is self-evident, but just in case).

    3. For your Language Adoption Project (LAP), you may want to have a look at “The world atlas of language structures”, which is available in the main library at the Main Atlas Case G1046.E3 W6 2005. Should you fall in love with one particular language there, you’ll have to start looking for a descriptive grammar of that language, and if it’s not available in our library, then order it through the inter-library loan service. I’ll be posting links to lists of some descriptive grammars for different languages pretty soon on the course website.

Tuesday Sept 19

1. I posted today's slides on the course website. You can access them directly from this link:

https://segue.middlebury.edu/media/missing/filename/word_order.pdf%253C%252Fa%253E%253C%252Fspan%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Ffont%253E%253C%252Fdiv%253E%250A%2B%2B%2B%2B%253Cfont%2Bsize%253D"2" face="Arial">

2. I also updated the syllabus page to reflect what we have covered so far, and what we intend to cover the next couple of weeks. Also due to the fact that we have not covered some of the materials on homework assignment #1, I changed the date the homework is assigned from this Thursday to next Tuesday (Sept 26) and the due date will be Oct 3. Luckily, that won't affect the scheduling of any other assignment.

Thursday Sept 14

Website will be your key source for materials: readings, slides, assignments, exams, etc. So, check there often, especially on the “Syllabus” page. Course folder will remain in use, though to a lesser degree than I first anticipated.

You can use e-mail to turn in assignments, exams, etc.

For the most updated version of the syllabus, you have to visit the website. The hard copy distributed on the first day might not be a good source to rely on since I update the syllabus every week.

I put David Crystal’s “The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language” on physical reserve. It's a good reference for some of the topics that we'll cover in this class.

The materials on e-reserve are also available on the “Syllabus” page of the website.

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:57 -0400

Ethnologue: An encyclopedic reference work cataloging all of the world’s 6,912 known living languages

The Universals Archive of Universität Konstanz. : A huge list of linguistic universals that have been suggested in the relevant literature, in particular those of an implicational kind.

SIL

Endangered languages:The SIL webpage on endangered languages.

Software tools: Computer resources including an extensive library for language researchers and software tools and fonts.

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Usama Soltan - nobody@example.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:42:58 -0400

Usama Soltan
International Studies and Arabic
Robert A. Jones '59 House, Room B03
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT 05753

Email: usoltan@middlebury.edu
Office phone extension: x5869

Office Hours:
Wednesday 3:30-5pm,
Thursday: 5-6:30pm,
and by appointment (e-mail or call to make an appointment)