Linguistics 3430: Semantics
Fall 2005

Professor Laura A. Michaelis

           
General Information

Class time and location
 Humanities 1B90, MWF 1:00-1:50
Instructor's office hours
 Hellems 292, M, F 10:30-12:00
Instructor's email
 michaeli@colorado.edu
Instructor's phone and voicemail
(303) 492-1990


Downloads

Here you will be able to download lecture notes for upcoming lectures, study sheets for upcoming reading assignments and copies of Powerpoint presentations that were delivered in class. Handouts and study sheets will be posted in doc format (pdf is available by email request); Powerpoint files will be posted in ppt format. The date in parentheses beside the title is the date on which the corresponding lecture will be given (for lecture notes and Powerpoint presentations) or on which the completed item is due in class (for study sheets). Study sheets will be posted at least two days in advance of the due date of the corresponding reading assignment. Lecture notes will be posted at least one day in advance of the corresponding lecture.

Course Description

There are two basic principles of semantics. The first is that we cannot ask WHAT a word, sentence or text means without also asking HOW it means. The second principle is that people do not EXTRACT from language; rather, they CONSTRUCT meaning from language. In this class, we will explore the theory and practice of semantics. The theory tells us what kinds of concepts are relevant for describing meaning. The practice tells us how to use linguistic data (language deployed in context) to figure out what the concepts are. We will explore questions like the following:
  • Do speakers of different languages have radically different conceptual systems?
  • How do the words and grammatical elements of a language reflect the way in which speakers of that language conceive of the world?
  • Do language categories reflect reality, or do they instead reflect folk theories about the way the world works?
  • How much meaning is 'in the words' and how much is instead inferred from context?
  • Can linguistic meaning be represented by logic?
  • What does meaning have to do with truth?
Readings

We will use the textbook Semantics, by John I. Saeed; it is available at the campus textbook stores. In addition, we will read a set of articles that I have placed on electronic reserve. These articles are downloadable in pdf format from the e-reserve page of the university libraries website by clicking here.

Communication

You must subscribe to the class list serve. This list will enable you to receive updates and hints from the instructor as well as post questions and comments to the instructor and other class members. The list administrator (the instructor) is not permitted to subscribe list members herself; therefore, you must subscribe yourself. You can do this by sending an email to listproc@lists.colorado.edu containing the following command:

subscribe ling3430_05 <Firstname Lastname>

For example, class member Bertrand Russell would place the following content in his email:

subscribe ling3430_05 Bertrand Russell
Req
Requirements and Point Breakdown

In addition to an in-class midterm and take-home final, a total of 11 problem sets will be assigned this semester.

  • I will drop your lowest score at the end of the semester.
  • The point breakdown is as follows:
Ten homeworks 200 points (20 x 10)
In-class midterm 50 points
Class participation
 20 points
Take-home final 100 points
Total 370 points