WEEK BY WEEK COURSE OUTLINE

Readings:

LI = The Language Instinct (Page numbers refer to the 2000 and 2007 "Perennial" editions. The original 1995 "HarperPerennial" is identical in content. If you have the 1995 edition, make sure that you are reading the right pages.)
APS = Academic Publishing Services lecture book (available in bookstore)
Dates Topic Readings
Week 1    
April 1 What does it mean to say that language is an "instinct"?
The relation between language and culture; the relation
between language and thought.		 LI Chapter 1-3
(except pp.64-69)
APS pp. 9-14
April 3 Film: Discovering the Human Language: "Colorless Green Ideas" (The Human Language Series #1) APS pp. 17-23
Week 2    
April 8 Syntax: Introduction LI Chapter 4
APS pp. 25-33
April 10 Syntax (continued)  
Week 3    
April 15 Morphology: Introduction LI Chapter 5
APS pp. 37-45
April 17 Structure of words (continued)  
Week 4    
April 22 Articulatory phonetics LI Chapter 6
APS pp. 49-58
April 24 Phonetics vs. Spelling  
Week 5    
April 29 Film: "In Search of the First Language" (Nova) LI Chapter 8
(just skim pp. 232-241)
APS pp. 63-68
May 1 Language classification and the sources of language diversity APS pp. 69-78
Week 6    
May 6 Film: Acquiring the Human Language: "Playing the Language Game" (The Human Language Series #2) LI Chapter 9
(except pp. 287-293)
APS pp. 81-95
May 8 Language acquisition
Week 7    
May 13 Film: "The Mind: Language" (program from a PBS series on the mind) LI Chapter 10
(skip pp. 324-333)
APS pp. 99-104
May 15 Language and mind LI Chapters 9 & 10
APS pp. 105-113
Week 8    
May 20 Film: “The First Signs of Washoe” (Nova)

APS pp. 117-122
May 22 Chimps cannot talk! LI Chapter 11
(pages 340-351)
APS pp. 123-130
Week 9    
May 27 The origin of language LI Chapter 11
(pp. 351-381)
APS pp. 131-140
May 29 The origin of language (continued)

Week 10    
June 3 Prescriptive grammar LI Chapter 12
APS pp. 145-150
June 5
  • Prescriptive Grammar (conclusion)
  • MAYBE...if there's time and interest--Audiotape: George Carlin, "Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say on Television" and discussion of how language can be "obscene"
  • Wrap up
  • Course evaluation
APS pp. 1157-159

FINAL EXAMINATION: Tuesday, June 10, 8:00-11:00