{"id":4785,"date":"2013-02-04T06:27:51","date_gmt":"2013-02-04T10:27:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/whamit.mit.edu\/?p=4785"},"modified":"2013-02-04T06:32:14","modified_gmt":"2013-02-04T10:32:14","slug":"course-announcements-spring-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/2013\/02\/04\/course-announcements-spring-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Course Announcements, Spring 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

24.954 Pragmatics in Linguistic Theory<\/b>
\nInstructors: Kai von Fintel and Irene Heim
\nWednesday and Friday 10-11:30a, 32-D461
\nhttp:\/\/stellar.mit.edu\/S\/course\/24\/sp13\/24.954\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

This intermediate level class will explore basic concepts and tools in five areas of linguistic pragmatics:<\/p>\n

1. presuppositions
\n2. implicatures
\n3. indexicality
\n4. speech acts
\n5. focus<\/p>\n

Throughout, we will provide pointers to current work on these topics.<\/p>\n

The class presupposes familiarity with compositional intensional semantics, as developed in our introductory sequence (24.970, 24.973).<\/p>\n

Students who take the class for credit are expected to attend class diligently, to do all required advance readings, to participate vigorously in class discussion, to submit occasionally assigned homework exercises, and to submit a final term paper on a topic related to the class. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

24.956 Topics in Syntax
\nUttering theory: topics in the relation between syntax and phonology<\/b>
\nInstructor: Norvin Richards
\nWednesday 12-3p, Room 32-D461
\nhttp:\/\/stellar.mit.edu\/S\/course\/24\/sp13\/24.956\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Current Minimalist theories posit a number of parametric differences between
\nlanguages, which amount to stipulating the distributions of various types of
\novert movement. In this class we will spend the semester exploring the idea
\nthat we can reach deeper explanations for syntactic phenomena like these by
\nallowing the syntax to make more reference to phonology thatn we are used to.
\nI’ll argue for universal conditions on the phonological consequences of certain
\nkinds of syntactic relations, and claim that some of the operations performed
\nby the syntax (movement operations, in particular) are driven by the need to
\nmeet these universal conditions. In the end, the relevant parametric
\ndifferences between languages will be independently necessary phonological and
\nmorphological ones, having to do with stress, prosody, and the distribution of
\nvarious types of affixes.<\/p>\n

The resulting theory will account for the distribution of overt wh-movement (in
\nsingle wh-questions), EPP effects, and head-movement in a number of languages.
\nTime permitting, we will go on to consider phenomena like scrambling and DP
\nstructure, and develop new answers to a variety of traditional and
\nnot-so-traditional questions (why is PRO always null? why are ergative
\nlanguages with fixed word order typically either SOV or verb-initial? why do
\nsome languages, but not others, allow nominative subjects in infinitives
\n(Szabolcsi 2007)? why can languages like Chichewa optionally leave wh in situ
\nin all positions except for preverbal subjects, which must overtly move via
\nclefting? why is extraposition to the right of the verb in German possible
\njust when the VP has been topicalized (Haider’s puzzle)?). We’ll also discuss
\nthe consequences of the approach for the architecture of the grammar.<\/p>\n

Registered students will be asked to do in-class presentations (either of
\nrelevant readings or of the student’s own research), and to hand in a (possibly
\nvery rough draft of a) final paper.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

24.964 Topics in Morpho-Phonology
\nThe analysis of cyclic and and pseudo-cyclic phenomena <\/b>
\nInstructors: Donca Steriade, David Pesetsky
\nMondays 2-5, 32-D461
\nhttp:\/\/stellar.mit.edu\/S\/course\/24\/sp13\/24.964\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Full syllabus is available here. (pdf)<\/a><\/p>\n

In these lectures, we propose to explore some well-known problems in the functioning of the
\nphonological cycle; to examine and debate some solutions. We will also document and solve some
\nless well-known problems that bear some resemblance to the cycle. A central topic will be a
\nproposed unified view of all cyclic-like interactions in phonology, based on recent work. A related
\nimportant goal of the class will be the clarification or elimination (not yet sure which) of differences
\nbetween cyclic computations, as motivated in phonology, and cyclic spell-out in syntax. <\/p>\n

This is a collaborative venture. The two instructors will take turns proposing alternative solutions
\nto problems laid out. Exercises will be designed to give a chance to all participants to engage in the
\ndebate. After completion, the problems will be discussed in class.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

24.979 Topics in Semantics
\n“Free Relatives, Free Choice”<\/b>
\nInstructors: Kai von Fintel, Sabine Iatridou
\nMondays 10-1, 32D-461
\nhttp:\/\/stellar.mit.edu\/S\/course\/24\/sp13\/24.979\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

This semester, we will explore the syntax and semantics of free relative constructions and of free choice expressions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

24.954 Pragmatics in Linguistic Theory Instructors: Kai von Fintel and Irene Heim Wednesday and Friday 10-11:30a, 32-D461 http:\/\/stellar.mit.edu\/S\/course\/24\/sp13\/24.954\/ This intermediate level class will explore basic concepts and tools in five areas of linguistic pragmatics: 1. presuppositions 2. implicatures 3. indexicality 4. speech acts 5. focus Throughout, we will provide pointers to current work on these […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4785"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4789,"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4785\/revisions\/4789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ling-phil.mit.edu\/whamit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}