Courses by semester
Courses for Spring 2024
Complete Cornell University course descriptions are in the Courses of Study .
| Course ID | Title | Offered |
|---|---|---|
| ASL1101 |
American Sign Language I
Students with no previous background in American Sign Language (ASL) will be introduced to basic conversational techniques in ASL, including both expressive and receptive skills. Basic grammar and vocabulary will be covered, including explanations of the fundamental parts of a sign, proper use of fingerspelling, and the significance of non-manual features. Instruction will be supplemented with videos, allowing students to begin exploring the visual literature of the Deaf community in the United States. Readings and class discussions will acquaint students with American Deaf culture, history and education, and the historical development of ASL.
|
Fall, Winter, Summer. |
| ASL1102 |
American Sign Language II
This is the second in a sequence of courses in American Sign Language and Deaf Culture offered at Cornell. This course is a continuation of ASL 1101 and focuses on development of conversational and storytelling skills in ASL. Grammatical principles and functions will be emphasized. Appropriate cultural behaviors and conversational regulators in ASL will continue to be an important part of class. Readings and class discussions will acquaint students with American Deaf culture and social issues related to the Deaf community.
|
Spring, Summer. |
| ASL2202 |
Intermediate American Sign Language II
This course is a continuation of ASL 2201, comprehension and production skills emphasizing on complex grammar, short stories, narratives, and interactive use of ASL. The student will continue a study in depth about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture globally.
Full details for ASL 2202 - Intermediate American Sign Language II |
Spring. |
| ASL2301 |
Modern Deaf Culture
This course, taught by a culturally Deaf individual, will offer students an opportunity of learning first-hand about a culture within the American cultural context, with constructions of Deaf people as a linguistic minority. A major focus of this course is to bring students to an understanding of how differently the world can be viewed through "Deaf eyes" and how understanding this worldview can account for views toward the teaching and enculturation of deaf children, Deafhood, biomedical ethics, oppression of signed languages, the provision of accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and a host of other issues at the interface between hearing and Deaf cultures.
|
Spring. |
| ASL3215 |
Deaf Art, Film and Theatre
This course will explore approaches to the Deaf experience taken by Deaf artists from the 1900s to the present. Analysis of chosen works of Deaf art, film and theater will illuminate the expression of the Deaf narrative through symbolism, themes, and genres. We will examine the interaction of these works in multiple social, historical, cultural and political contexts and how they have contributed to the construction of Deaf culture and identity. This course will be taught in advanced ASL, with emphasis on the production and comprehension of academic ASL.
|
Spring. |
| LING1100 |
FWS: Language, Thought, and Reality
In this course the students learn the skill of writing at the university level. Instructors offer themes for their courses within their own special areas of expertise.
Full details for LING 1100 - FWS: Language, Thought, and Reality |
Fall, Spring. |
| LING1101 |
Introduction to Linguistics
Overview of the science of language, especially its theoretical underpinnings, methods, and major findings. Areas covered include: the relation between sound and meaning in human languages, social variation in language, language change over time, universals of language, and the mental representation of linguistic knowledge. Students are introduced to a wide variety of language phenomena, drawn not only from languages resembling English, but also from many that appear to be quite unlike English, such as those native to the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific.
|
Fall, Spring. |
| LING2215 |
Psychology of Language
Provides an introduction to the psychology of language. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the scientific study of psycholinguistic phenomena. Covers a broad range of topics from psycholinguistics, including the origin of language, the different components of language (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics), processes involved in reading, computational modeling of language processes, the acquisition of language (both under normal and special circumstances), and the brain bases of language.
|
Spring. |
| LING3150 |
Language and Power
In this course, we will explore how language interacts with power: how does language reflect, shape, threaten and reinforce power relations in human society? From childhood through old age, language is an ever-present source of symbolic power. We use it to develop and express our identities, to position ourselves in hierarchies, and to establish group membership and exclusion throughout life. Language shapes ourselves, our families, our social lives, and our institutions. Understanding how people use language can provide a window into hidden aspects of both individuals and the social world.
|
Spring. |
| LING3302 |
Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology
This course is an introduction to both phonetics (the study of the physical properties of the sounds of human language) and phonology (the organization and patterning of those sounds). The first part of the course focuses on the main areas of phonetics: articulation, acoustics, and perception. Students acquire basic skills, such as production and perception of speech sounds, transcription using the International Phonetic Alphabet, and instrumental analysis of speech. In the second part of the course students are introduced to key concepts in phonology, including rules, representations, and analysis of sound patterns. Throughout the course aspects of the sound systems of a wide range of world languages are studied.
Full details for LING 3302 - Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology |
Spring. |
| LING3314 |
Introduction to Historical Linguistics
Survey of the basic mechanisms of linguistic change, with examples from a variety of languages.
Full details for LING 3314 - Introduction to Historical Linguistics |
Spring. |
| LING3316 |
Old Norse II
Old Norse is a collective term for the earliest North Germanic literary languages: Old Icelandic, Old Norwegian, Old Danish, and Old Swedish. The richly documented Old Icelandic is the center of attention, and the purpose is twofold: the students gain knowledge of an ancient North Germanic language, important from a linguistic point of view, and gain access to the medieval Icelandic (and Scandinavian) literature. Extensive reading of Old Norse texts, among them selections from some of the major Icelandic family sagas: Njals saga, Grettis saga, and Egils saga, as well as the whole Hrafnkels saga.
|
Spring. |
| LING3325 |
Cayuga Language and Culture II
A continuation of LING 3324, with further exploration of Cayuga (Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ) language and culture. Language instruction continues in an immersive learning environment with a focus on plants and growing in the spring.
|
Spring. |
| LING3390 |
Independent Study in Linguistics
Independent study of linguistics topics not covered in regular curriculum for undergrads.
Full details for LING 3390 - Independent Study in Linguistics |
Fall, Spring. |
| LING4400 |
Language Typology
Studies the basic question of contemporary linguistics. Attempts to formalize universals of morphosyntax and to characterize the total repertory of constructions available to natural languages.
|
Spring. |
| LING4424 |
Computational Linguistics I
Computational models of natural languages. Topics are drawn from: tree syntax and context free grammar, finite state generative morpho-phonology, feature structure grammars, logical semantics, tabular parsing, Hidden Markov models, categorial and minimalist grammars, text corpora, information-theoretic sentence processing, discourse relations, and pronominal coreference.
|
Spring. |
| LING4444 |
Iroquoian Linguistics
This course will be a survey of the phonology, morphology, syntax and historical linguistics of the languages of the Iroquoian family. The focus will be on Northern Iroquoian (the Haudenosaunee languages plus Wendat/Huron), but comparison with Southern Iroquoian (Tsalagi/Cherokee) will also be made. After completing this overview, the course will focus on selected topics: stress/accent, noun incorporation, voice, and information structure.
|
Spring. |
| LING4452 |
Latin Comparative Grammar
The prehistory and evolution of the sounds and forms of Classical Latin as reconstructed by comparison with the other Indo-European languages.
|
Spring. |
| LING4492 |
Honors Research Workshop II
This course provides structure and guidance to students doing an honors thesis in linguistics. The course consists of biweekly meeting of all honors thesis writers with the course instructor. Students will submit drafts of the introduction, methodology, results, and conclusions. Students will comment on each others drafts. Students will also work on presentation skills.
|
Spring. |
| LING4494 |
Honors Thesis Research
Directed honors thesis research for students working on an honors thesis, taken with the student's honors thesis chair or other committee member.
|
Spring. |
| LING6314 |
Introduction to Historical Linguistics
Survey of the basic mechanisms of linguistic change, with examples from a variety of languages.
Full details for LING 6314 - Introduction to Historical Linguistics |
Spring. |
| LING6400 |
Language Typology
Studies the basic question of contemporary linguistics. Attempts to formalize universals of morphosyntax and to characterize the total repertory of constructions available to natural languages.
|
Spring. |
| LING6404 |
Syntax II
A continuation of LING 6403, focusing on syntactic dependencies, including the theory of control, an examination of locality constraints on movement, covert versus overt movement, and the syntax of quantification. The purpose of the course is to develop the background needed for independent syntactic research.
|
Spring. |
| LING6424 |
Computational Linguistics I
Computational models of natural languages. Topics are drawn from: tree syntax and context free grammar, finite state generative morphophonology, feature structure grammars, logical semantics, tabular parsing, Hidden Markov models, categorial and minimalist grammars, text corpora, information-theoretic sentence processing, discourse relations, and pronominal coreference.
|
Spring. |
| LING6444 |
Iroquoian Linguistics
This course will be a survey of the phonology, morphology, syntax and historical linguistics of the languages of the Iroquoian family. The focus will be on Northern Iroquoian (the Haudenosaunee languages plus Wendat/Huron), but comparison with Southern Iroquoian (Tsalagi/Cherokee) will also be made. After completing this overview, the course will focus on selected topics: stress/accent, noun incorporation, voice, and information structure.
|
Spring. |
| LING6452 |
Latin Comparative Grammar
The prehistory and evolution of the sounds and forms of Classical Latin as reconstructed by comparison with the other Indo-European languages.
|
Spring. |
| LING6600 |
Field Methods
Elicitation, recording, and analysis of data from a native speaker of an understudied non-Western language. Provides basic experience in linguistic fieldwork.
|
Spring. |
| LING6601 |
Topics in Phonetics-Phonological Theory
Examination of recent developments in the core areas of phonetics and phonology as well as its interfaces with other components of the grammar (e.g., morphosyntax, semantics or pragmatics). Topics covered include current approaches and relevant theoretical and historical perspectives.
Full details for LING 6601 - Topics in Phonetics-Phonological Theory |
Fall, Spring. |
| LING6603 |
Research Workshop
Provides a forum for presentation and discussion of ongoing research, and development of professional skills. Participants must enroll in a concurrent independent study with a special committee member, or a relevant workshop.
|
Spring. |
| LING6604 |
Research Workshop
Provides a forum for presentation and discussion of ongoing research, and development of professional skills. Participants must enroll in a concurrent independent study with a special committee member, or a relevant workshop.
|
Spring. |
| LING6692 |
Phonetic Data Analysis Workshop
The phonetics data analysis workshop provides students with practice in analysis and visualization of phonetic data, using Matlab, R, and Praat. Experiment design and statistical methods are emphasized.
Full details for LING 6692 - Phonetic Data Analysis Workshop |
Fall, Spring. |
| LING6693 |
Computational Psycholinguistics Discussion
This seminar provides a venue for feedback on research projects, invited speakers, and paper discussions within the area of computational psycholinguistics.
Full details for LING 6693 - Computational Psycholinguistics Discussion |
Fall, Spring. |
| LING6694 | Linguistic Meaning Lab | |
| LING7702 |
Directed Research
An independent study for graduate students.
|
Spring. |
| LING7711 |
Semantics Seminar
Addresses current theoretical and empirical issues in semantics.
|
Fall, Spring. |
| LING7713 |
Phonetics Seminar
Addresses current theoretical and empirical issues in phonetics.
|
Spring. |