Linguistics 4001W: Senior Seminar in Linguistics
E-mail: renniegons@yahoo.com; Tel.: 718-951-5928
Instructor: Rennie Gonsalves
Class Meets on Tuesdays, 9:30-10:45, in 1420 Ingersoll
Office Hours: 12:30-1:00 on Tuesdays; 1:30-3:00 on Thursdays, (and by appointment) in 1420 N

Course Topic for Spring, 2011: The Foundations of Linguistic Theory

This course will investigate certain fundamental issues regarding the structure of a theory of language as this has developed since the introduction of generative grammar in the middle of the last century. Using Ray Jackendoff's Foundations of Language (2003) as our guiding source, we will look at a variety of proposals as to how the components of a grammar of a language--its lexicon, phonology, syntax, and semantics-are pictured as combining and interacting with each other in a theory of the structure of language that can form the basis for answering certain foundational questions about language. These questions concern such issues as how the language faculty might have evolved in humans, how a language is acquired by children, how language is processed in the brain during the production and comprehension of sentences, and how language is used by individuals for communication in real world contexts. Assignments will include a midterm, a final, and a term paper.

Required Text (Available at Shakespeare and Co., 150 Campus Road, 718-434-5326):

Ray Jackendoff, Foundations of Language; Brain, Meaning, Grammar Evolution, Oxford Univeristy Press, (2003).

Course Schedule:

1 February 1st: Introductions, backgrounds, preview of the text.
A look at key generative grammar assumptions in Chomsky's 1975 book,
Aspects of a Theory of Syntax.
2 February 3rd: Chapter 1; The Complexity of Linguistic Structure.
The linguistic structure of a simple sentence-its phonology,
syntax, and semantics.
3 February 8th: Chapter 2; Mentalism-Language as a mental faculty.
4 February 10th: Chapter 3; Combinatoriality; the creativity of language; sentences
formed by combining constituents; generating an infinite set from
finite means.
5 February 15th: Chapter 3 continued.
6 February 17th: Chapter 4; Universal Grammar; explaining language acquisition.
7 February 22nd: Chapter 4 continued.
8 February 24th: Chapter 4 continued.
9 March 1st: Chapter 5; The Parallel Architecture
10 March 3rd: Chapter 5 continued.
11 March 8th: Chapter 6; Lexical Storage vs. Online Construction.
12 March 10th: Chapter 6 continued.
13 March 15th: Review
*14 March 17th: Midterm Exam (open book or take home).
15 March 22nd: Chapter 7; Implications for processing;
language production and comprehension.
16 March 24th: Chapter 7 continued.
17 March 29th Chapter 8; An evolutionary perspective.
18 March 31st: Chapter 8 continued.
19 April 5th: Chapter 9; Semantics as a mentalistic enterprise.
20 April 7th: Chapter 9 continued.
21 April 12th: Chapter 10; Reference and truth.
22 April 14th: Chapter 10 continued.
23 April 28th: Chapter 11; Lexical Semantics.
*24 May 3rd: Chapter 11 continued. (Paper Due)
25 May 5th: Chapter 12; Phrasal Semantics.
*26 May 10th: Concluding Remarks, review; student presentations.
*27 May 12th: Student Presentations.
*28 May 17th: Final exam (open book or take home).

*paper, exam, and presentation dates.


Participation:

Students must attend regularly, arrive on time and must be prepared to participate, having done
the assigned work. Participation will count for 20% of the overall grade for the course.


Exams:

There will be an open-book (or take-home) midterm and an open-book (or take-home) final.


Paper: There will be a term paper of 5-7 pages, based on some aspect of the assigned readings, with
four books and/or journal articles in the bibliography, due on Tuesday, May 3rd.


Grading:

Grades will be based on the following percentages:
Attendance and participation-20%, term paper-20%, midterm exam-30%, final examination-30%.


Statement on the University's policy on Academic Integrity

The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.

Statement in Reference to the Center for Student Disability Services

In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.

The state law regarding non-attendance because of religious beliefs:You should check this on page 53 in the Bulletin.

Information Regarding College Deadlines (see page 2 of the online Spring 2011 Calendar):

Friday, January 28 Undergraduate students: First day to file an Elective Pass/Fail application

Saturday, January 29 First day of weekend classes

Thursday, February 3 Last day to add a course online. Does not apply to first- and second-semester freshmen and new first-semester transfer undergraduate degree-seeking students

Thursday, February 3 Evening Common Hour**

Friday, February 4 Late add and drop period: To add a course, the instructor and department must approve.

Thursday, February 17 the Late-Add form; online system available for dropping. Does not apply to first- and second-semester freshmen and first-semester transfer undergraduate degree-seeking students

Thursday, February 10 Undergraduate students: Last day to file Pass/Fail elective application

Thursday, February 10 Undergraduate students: Deadline to apply to take Fall 2010 and Intersession 2011 Absentee Final Examinations

Friday, February 11 Lincoln's Birthday Observed-College Closed

Saturday, February 12 Holiday-No Classes

Tuesday, February 15 Last day for students with GPA below 2.00 to apply for readmission for Fall 2011

Thursday, February 17 Last day to late-add a course with instructor and department approval

Thursday, February 17 Last day to drop a course without a grade*

Thursday, February 17 Undergraduate students: Deadline to file scholarship application

Thursday, February 17 Graduate students: Last day to register online for Maintenance of Matriculation

Friday, February 18 First day to apply for W grade* Friday, February 18 Last day to file a thesis title for June 2011 master's degree

Monday, February 21 Presidents' Day-College Closed Wednesday, February 23 Conversion Day: Classes follow a Monday schedule

Thursday, February 24 Graduate students: Last day to apply to take Absentee, Language, and Comprehensive Examinations

Friday, February 25 Deadline for submitting immunization requirements: Immunization-delinquent students are barred from attending classes and receive a WA grade for immunization noncompliance Wednesday, March 2 Evening Common Hour**

Friday, March 4 Undergraduate students: Last day to declare/change major

Thursday, March 10 Graduate students: Deadline to file scholarship application