Semantics

Linguistics/Psychology 315/515
Prof. Suzanne Kemmer

Tentative Syllabus
With Readings and Assignments
(subject to change--revisit this site)
Spring 2004

Course Information Sheet

Links to the activated assignments are on the Course Information Sheet.

The readings posted here are tentative and will be announced in advance in each week, with the full references.

Week Topic Readings and Assignments
W1
Jan 13-15
What is meaning? Word meaning vs. other symbol systems. The segmentation of reality. Bolinger excerpt.
W2
Jan 20-22
Approaches to meaning. Meaning components. Theories of Meaning. Referential vs. conceptual theories. Assignment 1 posted Tues Jan 20. Bolinger cont., Ullman Ch 3.
W3
Jan 27-29
Practicing semantic description. More lexical relations. Ullman, cont. Asgn 1 due Thurs Jan 29.
W4
Feb 3-5
Finding structure in semantic fields. Excerpts from Tyler, Lehrer.
Asgn 2 posted Thurs Feb 6.
W5
Feb 10-12
Paradigms and taxonomies. Categorization and genre of language. Tyler and Lehrer, cont.; Fillmore I (CLS paper).
W6
Feb 17-19
Dimension (Space I). Human cognitive biases in semantic systems. Clark and Clark (placed on reserve). Asgn 2 due Tuesday February 18. Asgn 3 posted Thursday Feb. 20.
W7
Feb 24-26
Scenes and frames; Idealized Cognitive Models (ICMs) Clark and Clark cont.; Fillmore II (BLS paper).
W8
Mar 2-4
Dictionaries and enyclopedias. The semantics
of everyday concepts (artefacts, animals)
Wierzbicka (placed on reserve). Asgn 3 due Tuesday March 4. Asgn 4 posted Tuesday March 4.
W9
Mar 9-11
Midterm Recess.
W10
Mar 16-18
Wierzbicka cont. Dictionaries and Encyclopedias.
W11
Mar 23-25
Another way of investigating conceptual attributes. Levels of categorizaton and their significance for human cognition. Ungerer and Schmidt Chapter 2. Asgn 4 due Tuesday March 25. (this is an extended deadline.) Assignment 5 posted by end of week.
W12
Mar 30-Apr 1
Image schemas. Their role in Metaphor: The most powerful reasoning tool. Metonymy. Cognitive capacities. Short chapters from Lakoff and Johnson; Excerpt from Turner.
W13
Apr 6-8
Image schemas in space and motion. Lakoff and Johnson; Turner, cont. Asgn 5 due Thursday April 10. (This is an extended deadline.) Asgn 6 posted end of the week.
W14
Apr 13-15
The semantics of location and motion events (Space II). Figure/Ground, Trajector/Landmark. Human cognitive capacities. Talmy article (on electronic reserve).
W15
Apr 20-22
Talmy cont. Types of data. More on language and thought. Further issues in Cognitive Semantics. Asgn 6 due Thursday April 23 (last day of class.) Grad and Undergrad Final Exams posted April XX.
Senior final exams Final exams for seniors due April 29, noon.
Continuing students finals Remaining final exams due May 5, 5:00 p.m.

Last modified January 11, 2004


© 2004 Suzanne Kemmer

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