Linguistics

Linguistics Programs | Linguistics Courses

Faculty and Staff List

Professors
E. Atkinson, B.A., M.S., M.A., Ph.D.
B. Beekhuizen, B.A., M.A., Ph. D.
D. Denis, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
A. Kahnemuyipour, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D.
E. Nikiema, L.èsL., M.èsL., M.A., Ph.D.
A. Ozburn, B.Math, M.A., Ph.D.
M. Pirvulescu, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
K. Rehner, B.A., B.Ed, TEIL, M.Ed, Ph.D.
J. Schertz, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
J. Steele, B.A. (Hons.), M.A., Ph.D.
A. Taleghani, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
A. Taniguchi, B.A., M.A., Ph.D
M. Troberg, B.A., B.Ed., M.A., Ph.D.
L. Zhuang, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Interim Chair, Department of Language Studies
Professor Salvatore Bancheri
Maanjiwe nendamowinan, 4th floor (Room TBA)

Program Co-ordinator - Linguistics
To be announced
Maanjiwe nendamowinan, 4th floor (Room TBA)
905-828-5497
lin.pc.utm@utoronto.ca

Academic Advisor & Undergraduate Program Administrator
Rosa Ciantar
Maanjiwe nendamowinan, Room 4186
905-302-5337
undergrad.langst@utoronto.ca

Undergraduate Program Assistant
Jester Manansala
Maanjiwe nendamowinan, Room 4156
905-569-4321
info.langst@utoronto.ca

 

Why does "blick" sound like it could be a word in English but "bnick" does not? Are young people really destroying language? Why is Siri bad at understanding different accents and the speech of young children? Can the structures of all of the languages of the world be explained by a universal set of abstract operations? How can young children acquire languages so effortlessly, while it is often very difficult to learn a second language as an adult?

These are just some of the questions that you might encounter in a linguistics course. Linguistics is the scientific study of language, and the field is very broad, encompassing topics such as the internal structure of language, how infants and adults learn language(s), how language is used to express identity, and commonalities and differences among speakers of the world.

The linguistics programs at UTM provide a solid foundation in the core theoretical fields of linguistics, covering the structure of sounds, words, sentences, and meaning, as well as a wide selection of courses in areas such as language variation and change, experimental linguistics, first and second language acquisition, psycholinguistics, language teaching and learning, and computational linguistics.

Along with providing a foundation for future research and graduate studies in linguistics, the specific knowledge and skills acquired in linguistics courses can be relevant to diverse career paths, including the following:

  • education (language teaching, teacher education, or educational research)
  • clinical applications (audiology, speech therapy)
  • language preservation and documentation
  • communications (publishing, advertising, marketing/branding)
  • language technology (speech recognition, natural language processing, computer mediated language learning)


Students should also review the Degree Requirements section prior to selecting courses

Linguistics Programs

Linguistic Studies - Major (Arts)

Linguistic Studies - Major (Arts)

Enrolment Requirements:

Limited Enrolment - Enrolment in the Major program is limited to students who have achieved at least 63% in both LIN101H5 and LIN102H5. Second year entry requirements (for those students who have not met the enrolment requirement in the first year): A minimum grade of 67% in at least two of the following seven courses: LIN228H5, LIN229H5, LIN231H5, LIN232H5, LIN237H5, LIN240H5 LIN256H5, JLP285H5 (formerly LIN288H5).

Students cannot be enrolled simultaneously in the Linguistics Studies Major and the Linguistics Studies Minor programs.

Completion Requirements:

8.0 credits are required.

First Year: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5

Upper Years:

  1. Core requirement:
    (a) LIN228H5, LIN229H5, LIN232H5, ( LIN231H5 or LIN237H5)
    (b) 1.0 credit from LIN240H5, LIN256H5, JLP285H5 (formerly LIN288H5)

  2. Language requirement: 1.0 credit in a language course. This credit must involve the same language and must be taken either concurrently with LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 or after their completion. The language must be one other than the student's first language; English language courses are excluded.
  3. Upper Year requirements: 1.5 credits total to be chosen from 3 different categories below:

    1. Method and analysis: LIN318H5, LIN374H5, LIN375H5, LIN411H5, LIN418H5, LIN419H5, LIN475H5, LIN479H5
    2. Phonetics/Phonology: JLP384H5 (formerly LIN327H5), LIN328H5, LIN329H5, LIN421H5
    3. Syntax and Morphology: LIN332H5, LIN476H5
    4. Semantics/Pragmatics: LIN337H5, LIN338H5, LIN441H5
    5. Language teaching, learning, and acquisition: JFL389H5, LIN380H5, JFL454H5, LIN456H5, LIN486H5, LIN487H5
    6. Language contact, and change: LIN357H5, LIN360H5, LIN366H5, LIN369H5, LIN460H5, LIN466H5, LIN469H5
    7. Computational Linguistics: LIN340H5, LIN341H5, LIN447H5
    8. Language acquisition and psycholinguistics: JLP315H5 (formerly PSY315H5), JLP383H5 (formerly PSY374), LIN385H5, JLP388H5 (formerly JFL388H5), JLP481H5, JLP483H5
    9. Sociolinguistics and sociocultural linguistics: JAL351H5, JAL355H5, JAL453H5, LIN458H5

  4. The remaining 1.5 credits to be chosen from those courses not yet taken from the list above, or from the following: LIN299H5 or LIN299Y5, any 300/400 level LIN/JAL/JFL/JLP course, FRE489H5, ITA437H5, ITA451H5, ITA373H5, LTL488H5, SAN392Y5.

Students must have a minimum of 0.5 credits at the 400-level. No more than 1.0 credits outside of LIN/JAL/JFL/JLP offerings (excluding language courses in requirement #2 can be used towards program requirements.

NOTE: No more than 1.5 credits can be double counted towards two programs of study in Linguistics.

No more than 1.0 ROP course credit may count toward requirement 4.


ERMAJ1850

English Language Linguistics - Minor (Arts)

English Language Linguistics - Minor (Arts)

Enrolment Requirements:

Limited Enrolment - Enrolment in the Minor program is limited to students who have achieved at least 63% in both LIN101H5 and LIN205H5. Second year entry requirements (for those students who have not met the enrolment requirement in the first year): A grade of 67% in at least two of the following ten courses: JAL253H5, LIN208H5, LIN228H5, LIN229H5, LIN231H5, LIN233H5, LIN232H5, LIN237H5, LIN240H5, LIN256H5, JLP285H5 (formerly LIN288H5).

Completion Requirements:

4.0 credits are required.

First Year: LIN101H5, LIN204H5, LIN205H5

Upper Years:

  1. 1.5 credits: LIN233H5, LIN208H5, JAL253H5
  2. 1.0 credit at the 300 or 400 level to be selected from the following list: LIN310H5, LIN325H5, LIN352H5, LIN353H5, LIN357H5, LIN372H5, JAL355H5, JFL389H5, LIN452H5, LIN486H5, CHI411H5

NOTE: No more than 1.5 credits can be double counted towards two programs of study in Linguistics.


ERMIN1200

Linguistic Studies - Minor (Arts)

Linguistic Studies - Minor (Arts)

Enrolment Requirements:

Limited Enrolment — Enrolment in the Minor program is limited to students who have achieved at least 63% in both LIN101H5 and LIN102H5. Second year entry requirements (for those students who have not met the enrolment requirement in the first year): A grade of 67% in at least two of the following seven courses: LIN228H5, LIN229H5, LIN231H5, LIN232H5, LIN237H5, LIN240H5, LIN256H5, JLP285H5 (formerly LIN288H5). 

.

Students cannot be enrolled simultaneously in the Linguistic Studies Major and the Linguistic Studies Minor programs.

Completion Requirements:

4.0 credits are required.

First Year: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5

Upper Years: The remaining courses to be chosen from the following list:

  1. Minimum 1.0 credit from the following list: LIN228H5, LIN229H5, LIN231H5, LIN232H5, LIN237H5, LIN240H5, LIN256H5, JLP285H5 (formerly LIN288H5).
  2. Minimum 1.0 credit from the following list: any 300 and 400 level LIN, JAL, JFL, or JLP courses.
  3. 1.0 credit from any remaining courses listed in (1) or (2) or from the following list: FRE489H5, ITA373H5, ITA437H5, ITA451H5, and SAN392Y5.

Some of the courses listed above have prerequisites which would not count towards this program.

No more than 1.5 credits can be double counted towards two programs of study in Linguistics.


ERMIN0506

Certificate in Computational Linguistics

Certificate in Computational Linguistics

** This certificate program launches September 2024. **

The Certificate in Computational Linguistics is open to students who seek a deeper understanding of the diverse ways in which Linguistics and the Computing Sciences interact. The requirements include two core advanced courses in which students will learn about theoretical and practical aspects of the intersection between Linguistics and the Computing Sciences, and a 0.5 FCE elective from a set of topically fitting LIN and CSC courses.

While enrolment in the Certificate in Computational Linguistics is open to all students completing any programs at UTM program, interested students should note that there are significant pre-requisites which must be met before enrolment in the required foundational courses. It is expected that this Certificate will be of most interest to students in Computer Science and Linguistics programs.

Completion Requirements:

1.5 credits are required.

  1. Foundation: LIN340H5 and LIN341H5
  2. 0.5 credit to be chosen from the following list: JLP384H5 or LIN318H5 or LIN441H5 or CSC311H5 or CSC384H5 or CSC363H5 or CSC428H5

ERCER2021

Linguistics Courses

JAL253H5 • Language and Society

This course offers an introduction to the study of the relationship between language and society with the goal of understanding language use through social structures. Working within this socially-informed perspective, topics covered will include language, perception, and identity development; verbal and non-verbal communication; speaking across cultures; language use and social networks; and language and power. While this course fulfills a requirement for the Minor program in English Language Linguistics, it does not count towards the Major or Minor programs in Linguistic Studies.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 or LIN102H5 or LIN204H5 or ANT206H5
Exclusions: JAL251H1 or LINB20H3

Distribution Requirement: Social Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JAL351H5 • Language and Culture: Area study

This course offers an in-depth study of a particular region or language from a linguistic and anthropological perspective. In some cases this will involve focusing on a particular language or speech community (e.g., Vietnamese) including its historical development and the ways in which its boundaries have been defined. In other cases, it will involve a broader, regional approach (e.g., mainland Southeast Asia). Topics vary from year to year but may include semantic and grammatical structure, language variation and use, language pragmatics, poetry and poetics, literacy and orality, political discourse, historical linguistics and comparative reconstruction, language contact and shift.

Prerequisites: ANT204H5 or ANT206H5 or JAL253H5 or LIN256H5 or permission of department
Exclusions: ANT361H5

Distribution Requirement: Social Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JAL355H5 • Language and Gender

Ways in which gender influences the use of language and behaviour in conversational interaction: ways in which language reflects cultural beliefs about gender.

Prerequisites: LIN256H5 or JAL253H5 or ANT204H5 or WGS200Y5
Exclusions: JAL355H1 or LINC28H3 or WSTC28H3

Distribution Requirement: Social Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JAL453H5 • Language and Social Theory

This seminar course considers the intersection of linguistics and anthropology, bringing ideas from contemporary and classical social theory to bear on questions central to both fields of study. Topics vary from year to year but may include any of the following: linguistic relativity; register formation; language variation; linguistic ideologies; racialization; political discourse; pragmatic and semiotic theory; language reform.

Prerequisites: ANT204H5 or ANT206H5 or JAL253H5 or LIN256H5 or permission of department
Exclusions: ANT425H1 and ANT466H5

Distribution Requirement: Social Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24S
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JFL388H5 • Bilingualism and Multiple Language Acquisition

This course examines simultaneous and successive second (and multiple) language acquisition. We will look at topics such as the bilingual brain, the nature of the input, age constraints on language acquisition, language separation and cross-linguistic influences, the status of the heritage language, schooling in a second language (for example French immersion programs), and various methods used in the study of bilingualism in individuals. Bilingual/multilingual corpora will be examined. The language of instruction will be English. Students will have the option to write assignments in either English or French. Written work to be completed in French for credit towards a Specialist (French) or Major (French).

Prerequisites: [(LIN102H5 or FRE227H5 or FRE225Y5 or FRE272H5 or FRE272Y5) and 0.5 credit from LIN288H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN233H5] or 0.5 credit of FRE linguistic at the 300-level.
Exclusions: LIN358H5 or LIN388H5 or FRE388H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JFL389H5 • Second Language Assessment

This course provides an introduction to the principles and frameworks of second language assessment as well as to the practices of standardized testing and classroom assessment. We begin by discussing models of linguistic competence and frameworks for second language assessment as well as test design including language benchmarking. In the second part of the course, the focus turns to best practices in the assessment of vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, production, and socio-pragmatic competence.

Prerequisites: FRE272H5 and (FRE282H5 or FRE283H5)] or [LIN101H5 and (LIN102H5 or LIN205H5)]

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JFL454H5 • Teaching and Learning Varieties of Canadian French

(Offered in English) This course offers students the opportunity to become familiar with the primary research methods used in sociolinguistic studies, with how sociolinguistics helps to understand the properties of Canadian French, and with the pedagogical implications arising from sociolinguistic research on Canadian French. This course will contain a research-based component. Written work to be completed in French for credit towards a Specialist (French) or Major (French).

Prerequisites: [(1.0 credit of FRE Linguistics at the 300-level or LIN256H5) and 0.5 credit of LIN at the 300-level and reading ability in French] or permission of instructor.
Exclusions: FRE454H5 or FRE474H5 or LIN454H5 or LIN474H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP285H5 • Language, Mind, & Brain

Language is often described as a quintessentially human trait. What is the mental machinery underlying this ability? In this course, you will explore questions such as: Do animals have language? How do children learn language? How do we understand and produce language in real time? How does bilingualism work? What can neuroscience tell us about language abilities? What is the relationship between language and thinking?

Prerequisites: (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5) OR PSY100Y5
Exclusions: JLP374H1, PLIC55H3, PSY374H5

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 36L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP315H5 • Language Development

By three years of age, children have mastered many of the complexities of human language. How do they do this so rapidly, and with such ease? In this course, you will examine language acquisition from a cognitive perspective. Topics include the acquisition of speech sounds, sentence structure, and conversational abilities, as well as patterns of development in special populations. You will also learn about childhood bilingualism and social aspects of language development. Hands-on experience analyzing recordings of children will be provided.

Prerequisites: PSY201H5 (or equivalent) or (LIN288H5 or PSY274H5 or JLP285H5) and (PSY210H5 or PSY270H5 or PSY274H5) or (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5) or LIN200H5
Exclusions: JLP315H1, PSY315H5

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 36L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP383H5 • Adult Language Processing

Language is a key element in our social interactions, our ability to share information, and aspects of human culture. In this course you will engage in an advanced exploration of the cognitive machinery underlying language in adulthood. Key themes include: incremental interpretation and predictive processing; the relationship between language comprehension and production; and the nature of processing in bilinguals and speakers of less-studied languages. Practical activities address experimental methodology and aspects of data analysis.

Prerequisites: PSY201H5 (or equivalent) or (LIN288H5 or PSY274H5 or JLP285H5) and (PSY270H5 or PSY274H5) or (PSY315H5 or JLP315H5) or (LIN328H5 or PSY384H5 or JLP384H5) or (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 or LIN200H5)
Exclusions: PSY374H5

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 36L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP384H5 • Speech Communication

Imagine an animal species where one creature can generate thoughts in other creatures' minds simply by causing the air molecules around them to vibrate. Although this sounds exotic, it is what we as humans do every time we speak and listen. In this course, we explore the perception and production of spoken language from an interdisciplinary perspective. Sample topics include perceptual and cognitive aspects of speech communication, speech signal acoustics, audio-visual speech integration, speech sound articulation, artificial speech recognition, multilingualism, and contextual influences on speech communication. Through laboratory exercises, students will replicate classic experimental findings and gain hands-on experience with acoustic and behavioural data analysis

Prerequisites: (PSY201H5 or LIN228H5) and one of LIN229H5 or LIN288H5 or LIN318H5 or PSY270H5 or PSY274H5 or PSY280H5 or PSY374H5
Exclusions: LIN328H5 and PSY384H5 and PLID50H3

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP388H5 • Bilingualism and Multiple Language Acquisition

What are the linguistic and psychological implications of knowing more than one language? This course will explore topics such as the bilingual brain, the nature of bilingual language input, effects of age-of-acquisition and language similarity, the status of heritage languages, schooling in a second language (for example French Immersion programs), and research methodologies used in the study of bilingualism. Bilingual/multilingual corpora will be examined.

Prerequisites: LIN288H5 or PSY274H5 or PSY315H5
Exclusions: FRE388H5 and JFL388H5 and LIN388H5 and PSY376H5

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP481H5 • Topics in Developmental Psycholinguistics

How do children's language comprehension and production abilities differ from adults? What can research on language acquisition tell us about why language looks the way it does? Developmental psycholinguists use experimental techniques to explore a range of topics in the area of child language comprehension and production. Drawing on cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, we will explore contemporary issues and debates in this area.

Prerequisites: (LIN288H5 or PSY274H5) and 1.0 credit from the following list: LIN318H5 or LIN328H5 or LIN329H5 or LIN332H5 or LIN385H5 or LIN418H5 or LIN421H5 or PSY315H5 or PSY374H5 or PSY384H5 or any JLP course.

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 36S
Mode of Delivery: In Class

JLP483H5 • Topics in Adult Psycholinguistics

What is the connection between comprehending, producing, and thinking about language? How do the properties of different languages influence the nature of language processing? How is processing affected by differences across individuals? Drawing on a variety of perspective and methodologies, we will explore contemporary issues and debates in these and other topics.

Prerequisites: (LIN288H5 or PSY274H5 or JLP285H5) and 1.0 credit from the following list: (PSY315H5 or JLP315H5) or (PSY374H5 or JLP383H5) or (PSY384H5 or JFL388H5 or JLP388H5) or (LIN318H5 or LIN418H5) or JLP384H5 or JLP481H5.

Distribution Requirement: Science
Total Instructional Hours: 36L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN101H5 • Introduction to General Linguistics: The Sounds of Language

Lectures on fundamental principles of phonetics, phonology, and morpho-phonology with illustrations from English and a broad spectrum of other languages. Practice in elementary analytic techniques and applications from acquisition, historical linguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. REQUIRED COURSE FOR ANY PROGRAM IN LINGUISTICS.

Prerequisites: This course has no prerequisites. It can be taken independently, before, or after LIN102H5.
Exclusions: LIN100Y5 or LIN100Y1 or LIN101H1 or LINA01H3 or LINA02H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN102H5 • Introduction to General Linguistics: Words, Sentences, their Structure and Meaning

Lectures on fundamental principles of morpho-syntax, syntax, and semantics with illustrations from English and a broad spectrum of other languages. Practice in elementary analytic techniques and applications from acquisition, historical linguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. REQUIRED COURSE FOR ANY PROGRAM IN LINGUISTICS.

Prerequisites: This course has no prerequisite. It can be taken independently, before, or after LIN101H5.
Exclusions: LIN100Y5 or LIN100Y1 or LIN102H1 or LINA01H3 or LINA02H3.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN200H5 • Introduction to Language

A general-interest course on language. The structure of language; the social and psychological aspects of language; how language changes over time, with special reference to the history of English. Also origin of language, writing systems, and language acquisition.

Note: This course will not count towards any Linguistics program of study. It will only count as an elective.

Exclusions: LIN100Y5 or LIN101H5 or LIN102H5 or LIN100Y1 or LINA01H3 or LINA02H3 or LIN200H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN204H5 • English Grammar I

Students will learn about fundamental grammatical concepts, focusing on the major grammatical categories in English and how they interact at the phrase level. They will be introduced to the main constituents of English sentences and learn about the basic relationship between tense, aspect, and modality. Students will learn to apply this knowledge as a tool to think analytically about English, evaluating various registers and styles, and gaining an awareness of their own style of speaking and writing. Depending on the instructor, this course may be delivered fully or partially online. Students are required to take the final exam at the UTM campus. Arrangements will be made for proctored exam writing for students who are registered at Ontario university locations outside of the GTA. This course counts towards only the English Language Linguistics Minor (ERMIN1200); it does NOT count towards the Linguistic Studies Minor (ERMIN0506) nor the Linguistic Studies Major (ERMAJ1850).

Exclusions: LIN204H1 or LINB18H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class, Hybrid

LIN205H5 • English Grammar II

This course examines complex methods of sentence construction that will enable a critical analysis of English sentence structure, word and sentence meanings, and language function in communicative contexts. This course is particularly suitable for students who wish to improve their academic writing skills or who wish to teach English. This course counts towards only the English Language Linguistics Minor (ERMIN1200); it does NOT count towards the Linguistic Studies Minor (ERMIN0506) nor the Linguistic Studies Major (ERMAJ1850).

Prerequisites: LIN204H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN208H5 • English Sounds

A description of the phonetic and phonological systems of varieties of English, as well as discussion of topics including dialectal variation, socio-phonetics, historical developments, and/or prosody. This course counts towards only the English Language Linguistics Minor (ERMIN1200); it does NOT count towards the Linguistic Studies Minor (ERMIN0506) nor the Linguistic Studies Major (ERMAJ1850).

Prerequisites: LIN101H5
Exclusions: LIN228H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN228H5 • Phonetics

Investigation of the sounds most commonly used in languages from an articulatory and acoustic point of view, with practice in transcription and analysis.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5
Exclusions: LIN228H1 or LINB09H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN229H5 • Phonological Patterns in Language

This course explores the nature and organization of phonological systems (ie. the sound structure of languages) with practical work in analysis.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and LIN228H5
Exclusions: LIN229H1 or LINB04H3.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN231H5 • Morphological Patterns in Languages

This course explores the nature and organization of morphological systems (word formation rules, organization of paradigms, etc.) with practical work in analysis.

Prerequisites: (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5) or LIN100Y5.
Exclusions: LIN231H1 or LINB10H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN232H5 • Syntactic Patterns in Language

This course is an introduction to generative syntax focusing on the Government and Binding framework. Problem sets will be used for practicing argumentation and analytical skills.

Prerequisites: LIN102H5 or LIN100Y5.
Exclusions: LIN232H1 or LINB06H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN233H5 • English Words through Space and Time

An analysis of English words, the history of their development and the variation in their use across the English-speaking world. Topics include the history and structure of words, the relation between sound and spelling, dialect variation and the development of dictionaries. This course does not count towards the Linguistic Studies minor or major program. Formerly LIN203H5.

Corequisites: LIN101H5
Exclusions: LGGB18H3 or LIN203H1 or LIN203H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN237H5 • Semantics

This course offers an introduction to Semantics, the subfield of linguistics that considers the different ways meaning is encoded in human language and the context within which language is used. The aim of the course is to introduce students to some of the basic concepts and central issues and scholars in the field. The course examines possible ways of describing and formalizing meaning at the level of the word, phrase, and sentence. The course naturally incorporates students’ understanding of syntax and morphology thereby fostering a more holistic understanding of linguistic analysis. It also provides the foundation for more specialised studies in Semantics and Pragmatics. Topics include: sense and reference, compositionality, lexical relations, entailment, presupposition, event types, thematic roles, deixis, implicature, predicate logic, and quantification.

Prerequisites: LIN102H5 or LIN100Y5.
Exclusions: LIN241H1 or LINC12H3 or LIN247H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN240H5 • Computer Programming for Linguists

We live in a world of language technology – who can imagine life without search engines, translation software and automated captioning? At the same time, more and more linguists use computational methods in their research. For example, this methodology can allow us to find all the ways the adverb actually is actually used, or to generate all monosyllabic six-character words for a psycholinguistic experiment. At the heart of this is computer programming: giving precise instructions for your computer to carry out – repeatedly and accurately. This course introduces the basic components of computer programming in Python for linguists.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 or LIN102H5
Exclusions: CSC108H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 12L/24P
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN256H5 • Sociolinguistics

An introduction to linguistic variation and its social implications, especially the quantitative study of phonological and grammatical features and their correlations with age, sex, ethnicity and other social variables.

Prerequisites: (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5) or LIN100Y5 or ANT206H5
Exclusions: LINB20H3 and LIN251H1.

Distribution Requirement: Social Science
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN271Y5 • Introduction to Sanskrit

This course introduces students to the basic grammar of classical Sanskrit. Students will engage with its phonology (including pronunciation, sandhi, and metrics) and morphology (including word formation, nominal declension and verbal conjugation, and dissolving compounds). Students will apply their grammatical knowledge and analytic skills to the reading of basic Sanskrit texts. By the end of the course, students will be able to read simple, narrative Sanskrit. This course is cross-listed with SAN291Y5 and can be used to count toward the Major Program’s Language Requirement.

Exclusions: SAN291Y5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 72L/24P
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN299H5 • Research Opportunity Program

This course provides a richly rewarding opportunity for students in their second year to work in the research project of a professor in return for 299H course credit. Students enrolled have an opportunity to become involved in original research, learn research methods and share in the excitement and discovery of acquiring new knowledge. Participating faculty members post their project descriptions for the following summer and fall/winter sessions in early February and students are invited to apply in early March. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.


Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN299Y5 • Research Opportunity Program

This courses provides a richly rewarding opportunity for students in their second year to work in the research project of a professor in return for 299Y course credit. Students enrolled have an opportunity to become involved in original research, learn research methods and share in the excitement and discovery of acquiring new knowledge. Participating faculty members post their project descriptions for the following summer and fall/winter sessions in early February and students are invited to apply in early March. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.


Course Experience: University-Based Experience
Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN310H5 • Contrastive Linguistics

An introductory survey of the theory and practice of contrastive analysis. How are languages compared with respect to their phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic structure? How are lexicons compared? Focusing on contrastive procedures, students will examine a number of case studies and will then apply this knowledge to produce their own analysis. Some consideration will be given to the usefulness of contrastive analysis to foreign language teaching.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and (LIN102H5 or LIN205H5) and 1.0 credit in LIN at the 200-level (excluding LIN204H5).

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN311H5 • Linguistics and Poetics

Developments in linguistic theory sprouted diverse approaches to linguistic analysis of literature, from early formalism and structuralism to cognitive linguistics and functional linguistics. Survey of major trends and issues in linguistic poetics includes essential readings, such as works of R. Jakobson, M.A.K. Halliday, R. Barthes, and practice in linguistic analysis of literary texts.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 and (LIN228H5 or LIN229H5)
Exclusions: LIN211H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN318H5 • Talking Numbers: Interpretation and Presentation of Quantitative Linguistic Data

Do numbers and statistics make your vision go blurry? Do you avoid making eye contact with charts and tables? From measuring vowel formants to gradient grammaticality judgments to frequencies and patterns in natural language corpora, research in linguistics is becoming increasingly dependent on quantitative data and argumentation... but fear not! In this course, students with no prior background in statistics will learn the fundamentals of quantitative reasoning through hands-on experience with contemporary statistical tools and will be equipped with the basic numeracy skills necessary to critically evaluate quantitative arguments in a range of subfields of linguistics. Formerly LIN368H5.

Prerequisites: (LIN256H5 or LIN288H5) and (LIN229H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN237H5).
Exclusions: LIN305H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN325H5 • Topics in the Phonetics and Phonology of English

This course examines current issues in phonetics and/or phonology specific to English. Depending on the instructor, the focus of the course may be oriented towards topics such as socio-phonetics; acquisition; dialectal variation; historical developments. This course counts towards only the English Language Linguistics Minor (ERMIN1200); it does NOT count towards the Linguistic Studies Minor (ERMIN0506) nor the Linguistic Studies Major (ERMAJ1850).

Prerequisites: LIN208H5 or LIN228H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN328H5 • Acoustic Phonetics

This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of acoustics, as well as the acoustic properties of vowels and consonants. Students will gain hands-on experience with primary acoustic data analysis through laboratory work, and will be exposed to classic and current research in the field. Additional topics that may be addressed include speech perception, second-language phonetics, and clinical applications.

Prerequisites: LIN228H5 and (one of LIN229H5 or LIN318H5 or LIN327H5 or PSY270H5, PSY274H5).
Exclusions: LIN323H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 12L/24P
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN329H5 • Phonological Theory

Basic issues in current phonological theory. Problems focusing on analysis and theory. (Students who want to pursue graduate studies in linguistics are strongly advised to include this course in their program.)

Prerequisites: LIN229H5
Exclusions: LIN322H5 or LIN322H1 or LINC02H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN332H5 • Syntactic Theory

An introduction to the foundations and formal framework of current generative grammar, concentrating on Chomsky's Minimalist theory. (Students who want to pursue graduate studies in linguistics are strongly advised to include this course in their program.) Formerly LIN331H5. 

Prerequisites: LIN232H5
Exclusions: LIN331H5 or LIN331H1 or LINC11H3

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN337H5 • Lexical Semantics: What is (or is not) in a Word?

25,000 is a modest estimate of the number of verbs with distinct meanings in English, but there are more likely upwards of 75,000 verbs. The number of nouns is three to four times this number. But how do we know what they all mean and how to use them appropriately? What is the nature of this knowledge? The meaning of words has been central to the study of language since the Ancient Greek and Sanskrit grammarians and philosophers, and it remains central to contemporary approaches to natural language. In this course, students will investigate basic issues and concepts in the linguistic study of word meaning, with a special focus on the relation between the semantics of words and their syntactic behaviour. Depending on the instructor, topics discussed in the course may include componential analysis; Lexical Conceptual Semantics; Cognitive Semantics; lexicalization patterns and differences cross-linguistically; categorization; compositionality; child language acquisition; computational applications.

Prerequisites: LIN237H5 and LIN232H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN338H5 • Pragmatics

This course examines the sub-field of linguistics known as pragmatics, an area concerned not only with what is said but, more importantly, with what is meant. Depending on the instructor, topics in this course may include implicature, reference, presupposition, speech acts, information structure, inferential relations, and static versus dynamic approaches to meaning. The course objectives are to i) explore in depth the concepts necessary to understand the theory of pragmatics, ii) define key terms used by linguists carrying out research in this area, and iii) connect theoretical and methodological concepts to every-day experiences of language in use.

Prerequisites: LIN237H5 and (LIN256H5 or LIN232H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN340H5 • Computing with Natural Language

How is a search engine able to answer so many of your questions? Why does your phone know which word you're about to type next in your message? Such technologies rely on computational linguistics, the intersection of Linguistics and the Computing Sciences. In this course, students with a background in either discipline will be introduced to this field. The course has a practical focus: how to get computers to analyze and process natural language? Through lectures and scaffolded programming assignments, students will be introduced to the tools and resources of Computational Linguistics (and their limitations). We will look at techniques used by computational linguists to process large amounts of text to answer practical and theoretical research questions. Topics may include part of speech tagging, parsing, machine translation, sentiment analysis, visualization, and corpus linguistics. While no programming skills are required at the outset, students should expect to develop them through the practicums of the course.

Prerequisites: [(LIN100Y5 or (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5)) and any 200-level LIN course] or [(CSC108H5 and CSC148H5) and any 200-level CSC course]
Exclusions: CSC485H1 or CSC401H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 12L/24P
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN341H5 • Linguistics and Computation

How can you get a computer to tell grammatical and ungrammatical sentences apart? How does it know whether 'cricket' refers to the game or the insect in a sentence like "The cricket jumped over the fence"? This course is designed to introduce students with either a background in Linguistics or in the Computing Sciences to the intersection of linguistics and computing, with a focus on the question of how computational algorithms and data structures can be used as a formal model of language. Topics may include finite-state automata for phonology and morphology, context-free grammars, semantic parsing, vector space semantics, computational cognitive modelling, and computational sociolinguistics. No programming skills are required to take the course.

Prerequisites: [(LIN101H5 and LIN102H5) and any 200-level LIN course] or [(CSC108H5 and CSC148H5) and any 200-level CSC course]
Exclusions: CSC485H1 or CSC401H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN352H5 • English Language Linguistics in the Public Sphere

This course prepares students to engage with English language linguistics in public settings. Students will critically analyze what role the English language has in society, and learn how linguists can help answer the public’s questions about the English language. Topics may include: what common misconceptions the general public has about language; the disconnect between what linguistics is and what the public wants to know about language, and how to bridge between this gap; dismantling English-supremacist attittudes and linguistic prejudices around the world; designing research to assess public attitudes about language.

Prerequisites: LIN204H5 and LIN205H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN353H5 • Discourse Analysis

This course introduces students to the nature and uses of discourse analysis, notably the types of data on which it draws and its descriptive and critical goals. Topics addressed include discourse structures, participants in discourse, links across texts, the role of medium, and the importance of intention and interpretation.

Prerequisites: LIN256H5 or JAL253H5 or ANT206H5 or LIN237H5
Exclusions: JAL353H5 or JAL353H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN357H5 • English Worldwide

The best estimate of linguists suggests that English is spoken (natively and non-natively) by around one billion people today. This makes it the most widely spoken language in the world. Within this language exists a high degree of global dialect diversity. In this course, we will examine the structure and history of Englishes around the world including British, North American, Antipodean, Caribbean, African, and Asian varieties. Students will also consider structural and sociolinguistic issues associated with English as a global language including creolization, post-creolization, the diffusion of innovation, language policy, and the linguistic effects of colonialism. 

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and (LIN102H5 or LIN205H5) and (LIN256H5 or JAL253H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN360H5 • Historical Linguistics

The grammars of living languages are constantly changing, never so obviously than when we compare different stages of a language over a long period of time: words change form and are sometimes repurposed; new words enter and others are lost; morphology rises and falls; syntactic possibilities can change dramatically. How do such changes arise, and what does it mean for a language to change? The aim of this course is to introduce students to the field of diachronic linguistics: its relationship to general linguistics, its primary research methods, and its major achievements. Students will gain practical experience solving classic language change problems, performing their own analyses, and reading contemporary literature in the field.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and (one of LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5)
Exclusions: LIN362H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN366H5 • Contact Languages: Pidgins, Creoles and Mixed Languages

This course examines languages recently created by means of contact between languages of different socio-economical status. Analysis of these new languages is of particular interest to linguistic theory since it offers insight on the construction of linguistic systems, language evolution and on how language is acquired in such a context. Emphasis is given to the description and analysis of French-based pidgins and Creoles spoken in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean region.

Prerequisites: 1.0 credit from any of the following: LIN228H5 or LIN229H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN247H5 or (LIN256H5 or JAL253H5) or LIN258H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN369H5 • Romance Linguistics

This course explores the linguistic properties characteristic of the Romance language family. We examine the major languages as well as understudied varieties by comparing their phonological, morphological and syntactic properties. A historical perspective allows us to consider how many of the common features of this family evolved from spoken Latin, while their distinctive properties have arisen through both internal and external forces. No prior knowledge of Latin or a Romance language is necessary. For students in either a French Specialist or Major Program and/ or an Italian Specialist or Major Program, written work must be completed in the language of study.

Prerequisites: (LIN229H5 or FRE376H5) and (one of LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5 or LIN256H5, or FRE378H5 or FRE386H5 or FRE387H5 or FRE388H5 or ITA373H5 or ITA437Y5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN372H5 • The Great Debates: Critical Reading and Writing in Linguistics

Students develop critical reading and writing skills through the analysis of influential articles that broach broad and controversial topics in linguistics. One goal of the course is to develop skill in understanding how a text “works”, to form a reasoned evaluation of it, and to appreciate its place in a larger debate. Another goal is to develop skill in communicating complex ideas through a variety of means relevant to the academic community.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 and 1.0 credit of LIN at the 200-level

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN374H5 • African Linguistics

This course explores the linguistic features and characteristics of African languages. Attention will be given to the phonetic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic components of the languages to be studied, with emphasis on examining under-represented and under-studied languages. No prior knowledge of an African language is necessary.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and (LIN231H5 or LIN232H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN375H5 • Chinese Linguistics

This course offers a linguistic introduction to the features and characteristics of the Chinese languages. Attention will be given to the phonological, morphological and syntactic patterns of the language family, set against the backdrop of its linguistic and sociolinguistic history. The course not only examines the characteristics of Mandarin but also various other varieties of Chinese. No prior knowledge of a Chinese language is necessary.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and LIN232H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN380H5 • Theoretical Issues in Second Language Teaching and Learning

This course examines theoretical research on adult second language learning and the resultant implications for second language teaching. Topics include learning styles and strategies, age, affect, communicative competence, and sociolinguistics. Links are drawn to teaching practices, including error correction, materials selection, and order and method of presentation.

Prerequisites: 1.0 credit of any of the following: LIN228H5 or LIN229H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5 (formerly LIN247H5) or (LIN256H5 or JAL253H5) or LIN288H5 (formerly LIN258H5).
Exclusions: (FGI380H5 or LTL380H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN385H5 • The Acquisition of Grammar in Different Contexts

This course examines language acquisition by different populations: first language acquisition by normal, deaf and impaired children; first language re-acquisition by aphasic patients; second language acquisition by children and adults. The question that we will ask is the following: what are the similarities and differences across acquisition contexts? Comparative theoretical approaches will be examined in order to gain an insight into the following topics: evidence for innate linguistic endowment, the stages in the development of grammar, the role of input. An important component will be the analysis of both spontaneous corpora and experimental work.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 and [(0.5 credit from LIN288H5 or LIN229H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5 or LIN256H5) or (0.5 credit of PSY at the 300-level].
Exclusions: LIN356H5
Recommended Preparation: LIN288H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN387H5 • Theoretical Issues in Teaching and Learning Second Language Vocabulary

This course provides an overview of second language vocabulary acquisition research and the resultant implications for second language teaching. Topics include dimensions of vocabulary knowledge, incidental and intentional vocabulary learning, textbook analysis, learning strategies, and teacher beliefs about vocabulary teaching and learning. Implications are drawn for pedagogical practices, including best vocabulary teaching practices, materials selection, and measuring vocabulary knowledge.

Prerequisites: 1.0 credit from LIN228H5 or LIN229H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5 or (LIN256H5 or JAL253H5) or LIN288H5.
Exclusions: LTL387H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN399H5 • Research Opportunity Program

This course provides senior undergraduate students who have developed some knowledge of research methods used in the discipline of Linguistics to work in the research project of a U of T Mississauga professor for course credit. Enrolled students have the opportunity to become involved in original research, develop their research skills, and share in the excitement and discovery of acquiring new knowledge. Project descriptions for participating faculty members for the following summer and fall/winter sessions are posted on the ROP website in mid-February; students are invited to apply at that time. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 and [1.0 credit from JAL253H5 or LIN228H5 or LIN229H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5 or LIN256H5 or JLP285H5 (formerly LIN288H5)]

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN399Y5 • Research Opportunity Program

This course provides senior undergraduate students who have developed some knowledge of research methods used in the discipline of Linguistics to work in the research project of a U of T Mississauga professor for course credit. Enrolled students have the opportunity to become involved in original research, develop their research skills, and share in the excitement and discovery of acquiring new knowledge. Project descriptions for participating faculty members for the following summer and fall/winter sessions are posted on the ROP website in mid-February; students are invited to apply at that time. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.

Prerequisites: LIN101H5 and LIN102H5 and (1.0 credit from JAL253H5 or LIN228H5 or LIN229H5 or LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN237H5 or LIN256H5 or LIN288H5)

Course Experience: University-Based Experience
Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN411H5 • Introduction to Analysis and Argumentation

This course examines several topics which have created controversy in linguistics, topics about which various scholars have expressed opposing views through published articles. By reading and discussing these debates, students will learn how to critically analyze linguistics articles. The aim of this course is for students to develop skills in identifying the authors' assumptions, assessing their argumentation and recognizing how linguists build arguments for opposing views on a certain issue. The topics may range from big picture questions like the validity of Universal Grammar to more specific questions about a linguistic phenomenon. By the end of the course, students will have developed more acute reading skills, thereby also improving their ability to write academically, and more particularly in linguistics. The title of the course might sound scary, but the course itself is not at all! Formerly LIN481H5.

Prerequisites: LIN 229H5 and LIN 232H5 and (LIN231H5 or LIN237H5 or LIN247H5 or LIN256H5 or LIN288H5 or LIN258H5) and 0.5 credit in a 300-level LIN course.
Exclusions: LIN481H1 or LIN481H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN418H5 • Research Methods in Linguistics

Introduction to the main methods, tools and techniques used in the analysis, interpretation and presentation of linguistic data. Topics may include research in the areas of general linguistics, language acquisition, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and dialectology. This course involves a practical component where students will apply skills learned in order to carry out their own study. Note that a background in statistics is NOT required for this course. Formerly LIN468H5

Prerequisites: (LIN256H5 or LIN288H5 or LIN258H5) and 0.5 credit in a 300-level LIN course.
Exclusions: LIN468H5
Recommended Preparation: LIN318H5 or LIN368H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN419H5 • Field Methods: A Language Unlocked

This course provides experience in language analysis based on elicited data from a native speaker of an understudied language. It emphasizes procedures and techniques and provides an opportunity for first-hand appreciation of linguistic unity and diversity.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and LIN231H5 and LIN232H5
Corequisites: One of LIN327H5 or LIN328H5 or LIN329H5 or LIN332H5 or LIN337H5 or LIN338H5 or LIN360H5 or LIN366H5 or LIN369H5 or LIN375H5 or LIN411H5 or LIN418H5 or LIN476H5 or LIN479H5
Exclusions: JAL401H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN421H5 • Speaking and Hearing with an Accent

Much of linguistic theory assumes the existence of an “ideal speaker/hearer” of a given language. However, in the real world, particularly in linguistically diverse communities such as the GTA, there is an enormous amount of variability driven by differences in language background, regional affiliation, and social factors. This course examines the many factors contributing to accentedness, and how listeners adapt their perception when confronted with different accents. It also explores how models of language development, processing, and production account for accent-related variability.

Prerequisites: LIN327H5 or LIN328H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN441H5 • Computing Meaning

How can we get a computer system to carry out meaningful tasks, such as determining if a restaurant review is positive ? How can computational experiments help linguists understand meaning and its use better ? This course will introduce students to computational linguistic concepts and techniques pertaining to meaning, such as vector space semantics and sentiment analysis. The course combines a theoretical perspective on meaning and computation with hands-on lab work.

Prerequisites: LIN237H5 and LIN340H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 12L/24P
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN447H5 • Topics in Computational Linguistics

In this course, students will develop a computational understanding of text and language. This course is cross-disciplinary, tools and project based; it teams Linguistics and Computer Science students in projects exploring novel applications of Natural Language Processing. Example topics include text summarization, bias detection, and sentiment analysis using Python and text processing and machine learning libraries. Topics and applications will vary by instructor.

Prerequisites: For LIN program students: (LIN340H5 or LIN341H5) plus 1.0 additional credit at the 300 level. For CS program students: CSC207H5 and STA256H5 and/or permission from the instructor.
Exclusions: LIN477H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L/12T
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN452H5 • Communicating English Language Linguistics

This course teaches students advanced skills for engaging with English language linguistics in public settings. Topics may include: how to talk to a general audience about linguistics; navigating common public myths about language; presentation skills to make complex topics accessible; incorporating linguistics in language courses; public outreach and interview skills in linguistics; designing research to answer public questions about English. In this capstone course, students will output innovative projects for educating the public about English language linguistics. This course includes an experiential learning component where students will get hands-on experience talking to various audiences about linguistics.

Prerequisites: LIN352H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN456H5 • Sociolinguistics and Second Language Teaching and Learning

This course considers the impact on variant use by second language learners exerted by linguistic and extra-linguistic factors, such as the surrounding linguistic context, age, sex, style, and curricular and extra-curricular exposure. Implications are drawn for second language teaching, including deciding what registers and variants to teach and what activities to employ.

Prerequisites: LIN256H5 (or permission from instructor), plus 0.5 credit in a 300-level LIN course.
Exclusions: (FGI456H5 or LTL456H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN458H5 • Analyzing Sociolinguistic Variation

All languages, in all linguistic domains, exhibit variation - more than one way of saying the same thing. This variation is not random but dependent on various linguistic, social, and cognitive conditioning factors. This course explores the theory and practice of analyzing such sociolinguistic variation. Students will receive hands-on instruction in fieldwork methods for collecting natural speech data and quantitative methods for analyzing patterns in that data.

Prerequisites: LIN256H5, plus 0.5 credit in a 300-level LIN course
Exclusions: LIN456H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 12L/12P
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN460H5 • Special Topics in Language Change

This course examines current issues of theoretical and/or empirical relevance in linguistics with special reference to phenomena involving language change. Depending on the instructor, the focus of the course may be more oriented towards phonology, morpho-syntax, semantics, or the lexicon. The contact hours for this course may vary in terms of contact type (L, S, T, P) from year to year, but will be between 24-36 contact hours in total. See the UTM Timetable.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and LIN232H5 and LIN256H5 and (one of LIN310H5 or LIN318H5 or LIN327H5 or LIN328H5 or LIN329H5 or LIN332H5 or LIN337H5 or LIN338H5 or LIN357H5 or LIN360H5 or LIN366H5 or LIN369H5 or LIN375H5 or LIN411H5 or LIN419H5 or LIN458H5 or LIN476H5 or LIN479H5 or JFL454H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN466H5 • Topics in Creole Linguistics

An advanced seminar on current issues of theoretical relevance in linguistics with special reference to Creole languages, in particular their emergence and their linguistic properties compared to those of the contributing languages. Depending on the instructor, the course may emphasize on French-based, English-based or Portuguese-based Creoles.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and (LIN231H5 or LIN232H5 or LIN366H5), plus 0.5 credit in a 300-level LIN course.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN469H5 • Topics in Romance Linguistics

We examine current issues of theoretical and/or empirical relevance in linguistics with special reference to the Romance family, including both well-known and understudied varieties. In this course, student can engage deeply with specific properties of the Romance family from the point of view of micro-comparative analysis, sociolinguistic variation, and/or diachronic change depending on student interests and the expertise of the instructor. The contact hours for this course may vary in terms of contact type (L, S, T, P) from year to year, but will be between 24-36 contact hours in total. See the UTM Timetable.

Prerequisites: LIN229H5 and LIN232H5 and LIN256H5 and (one of LIN310H5 or LIN318H5 or LIN327H5 or LIN328H5 or LIN329H5 or LIN332H5 or LIN337H5 or LIN338H5 or LIN357H5 or LIN360H5 or LIN366H5 or LIN369H5 or LIN375H5 or LIN411H5 or LIN419H5 or LIN458H5 or LIN476H5 or LIN479H5 or JFL454H5)

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN475H5 • Topics in Chinese Linguistics

An advanced seminar that explores topics and issues concerning the Chinese languages. Depending on the instructor, focus of the course may be oriented toward structural properties, language and society, bilingualism, the languages of China, or historical issues.

Prerequisites: LIN375H5 or permission of the instructor.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN476H5 • Language Diversity and Language Universals

This course examines cross-linguistic typological features found in the languages of the world. Special attention is given to investigating the remarkable range of phonological, morphological and syntactic diversity found in the world’s languages. One of the primary goals of the course is to examine the notion of language universals in light of such diversity.

Prerequisites: LIN232H5 and LIN231H5 and (one of LIN310H5 or LIN327H5 or LIN328H5 or LIN329H5 or LIN332H5 or LIN337H5 or LIN338H5 or LIN360H5 or LIN366H5 or LIN369H5 or LIN375H5 or LIN411H5 or LIN419H5 or LIN479H5)
Exclusions: LIN402H1 or LIN456H1

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN479H5 • The Structure of a Specific Language

An introduction to the structure of a featured language other than English. Topics of analysis may include the phonological, morphological, syntactic, or semantic systems; the writing system; historical aspects; variation. Students will use the tools of linguistic analysis learned in prior courses to examine the structural properties of this language. No prior knowledge of the language is necessary.

Prerequisites: LIN228 and LIN229 and LIN232, plus 0.5 credit in a 300-level LIN course.
Exclusions: LIN409H1 or LIN409H5 or LINC61H3 if the same language was analyzed.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN486H5 • Teaching and Learning Cross-cultural Communication

This course examines cross-cultural language use by second language learners from both a theoretical and pedagogical perspective. Topics addressed include the role of pragmatic transfer between native and target languages, individual differences, learning context, and instruction in the development of second language pragmatic competence.

Prerequisites: LIN256H5 or JAL253H5 or LIN288H5 or LIN258H5
Exclusions: LTL486H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN487H5 • Second Language Pedagogy

This course offers a comprehensive survey and analysis of fundamental concepts and issues related to second, bilingual, and foreign language instruction by developing students' knowledge of second language acquisition, approaches to language teaching, computer-assisted teaching, and pedagogical design and implementation in the language classroom.

Prerequisites: (LIN101H5 and LIN102H5) or LIN100Y5 and 0.5 credit at the 300-level in a LIN course.
Exclusions: LTL417H5 or LIN417H5

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Total Instructional Hours: 24L
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN495Y5 • Individual Project

A research or reading project undertaken by the student under the supervision of a staff member. Open only when a faculty member is willing and available to supervise.

Prerequisites: One half course at the 300 level in LIN.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN496H5 • Individual Project

A research or reading project undertaken by the student under the supervision of a staff member.

Prerequisites: One half course at the 300 level in LIN.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

LIN498H5 • Individual Project

A research or reading project undertaken by the student under the supervision of a staff member.

Prerequisites: One half course at the 300 level in LIN.

Distribution Requirement: Humanities
Mode of Delivery: In Class

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