5221 Social Science Plaza B; (949) 824-7504
C.-T. James Huang, Department Chair
Language is one of the most fundamental human instincts. It is an extraordinarily intricate system that all of us master as young children without special teaching, and that gives us the ability to communicate, tell stories, and express our deepest feelings. Linguistics is the scientific study of this human language. It is concerned with understanding the nature of language and our knowledge of it, how we acquire it, and how that knowledge is put to use. It is connected to many other fields of study, including psychology, anthropology, sociology, biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, philosophy, and literature.
University Requirements: See pages 54-59.
School Requirements: See page 346.
Departmental Requirements for the Major
School requirements must be met and must include 14-15 courses (56-63 units) as specified below:
A. Six core courses: Linguistics 3, 10, 20, 100, 111, and 121.
B. Six linguistics courses, at least four of which must be upper-division. One of these four upper-division courses must be 112, 122, or 143.
C. Natural/Formal language requirement. One of the following three groups of courses:
(1) Three courses in a single language other than English, or equivalent. Courses taken to satisfy breadth requirement category VI do not qualify.
(2) Two linguistics courses on the structure of foreign languages (e.g., Linguistics 165A, 165B, 165C, 166A, and as the topics might apply, 160 and 164A).
(3) Two courses in logic (from the Philosophy series 30A-B or 105A-B-C) or computation (from the Information and Computer Science series 21-22).
Residence Requirement for the Linguistics Major: At least five upper-division courses required for the major must be completed successfully at UCI.
Honors Program in Linguistics
The Honors Program in Linguistics is designed for selected junior and senior Linguistics majors who have shown interest in moving beyond the material covered in the regular undergraduate program and demonstrated their readiness for more advanced work than is usually expected at the undergraduate level. An overall grade point average of 3.0 with 3.5 in Linguistics courses is required.
Participating students design their program in consultation with the faculty and complete a specified set of courses, culminating in the production and oral defense of a senior thesis. Successful completion of the Honors Program satisfies the upper-division writing requirement.
Four one-quarter courses are required, including Linguistics H195 (Honors Research Workshop) and H190 (Senior Thesis). Students also select one or two courses from Linguistics 114, 119, 124, 129, 139, 149, 159, and H192. Students also may choose to take either Linguistics 198 or 199. Each of these courses will normally require a term paper, and satisfactory completion of these papers with a grade of A- or better is required for Honors students. These term papers usually are closely connected to the senior thesis topic and contribute to its final form. Two of the courses taken toward fulfilling the Honors Program requirements will also count toward the requirements for the major in Linguistics.
Linguistics Minor Requirements
Requirements for the minor in Linguistics are met by taking seven linguistics courses (28 units) as specified below:
A. Linguistics 3, 10, and 20.
B. Four additional linguistics courses, three of which must be upper-division.
Residence Requirement: At least three upper-division courses required for the minor must be completed successfully at UCI.
Participating Faculty
Lisa L.-S. Cheng: Syntactic theory, comparative syntax, Chinese linguistics
Naoki Fukui: Syntactic theory, comparative syntax, structure of Japanese
C.-T. James Huang: Syntax, semantics, structure of East Asian languages
Mary Ritchie Key: Historical linguistics, American Indian languages
Utpal Lahiri: Formal semantics, syntax
Robert May: Semantics, syntax, philosophy of language
Bernard Tranel: Phonological theory, French linguistics
Moira Yip: Phonological theory, Chinese phonology, morphology
Affiliated Faculty
Michael Fuller: Classical Chinese grammar and literature
Gregory Hickok: Neural organization of language
Gavin Huntley-Fenner: Language acquisition, semantics
Mary-Louise Kean: Biological foundations of language
Virginia A. Mann: Speech perception, psycholinguistics
Terence Parsons: Semantics, philosophy of language
Robin Scarcella: Sociolinguistics, second-language acquisition
Armin Schwegler: Spanish, historical linguistics, pidgins and creoles
W.C. Watt: Cognitive semiotics
The doctoral concentration in Linguistics, administered by a group of faculty specializing in the field, is focused on theoretical linguistics and its role in the cognitive sciences. The research emphasis is directed toward the core areas of theoretical work in syntax, semantics, phonology, and psycholinguistics with a concentration on the formal analysis of natural language. Additional emphasis is on the study of a broad range of languages and language families, including East Asian and Romance. Students are further expected to gain expertise in other areas of the cognitive sciences, especially as this pertains to the study of language.
The program leads to a Ph.D. in Social Science with a concentration in Linguistics.
While at least some undergraduate training in theoretical linguistics is desirable, applications are also welcomed from students with backgrounds in other areas, e.g., philosophy, psychology, language studies, computer science. Decisions on admissions are based on students' undergraduate performance, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and any written research materials submitted by the candidate. Applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores; applicants from non-English speaking nations must also submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.
Course requirements consist of eight core courses (Phonology I, II, III; Syntax I, II, III; and Semantics I, II), four additional Linguistics courses, a proseminar in Cognitive Sciences or an appropriate substitute, research seminars, and a research workshop. The minor area requirement can be met with two courses in a single minor area (e.g., cognitive sciences, computational linguistics, philosophy) or a critical literature survey in a non-core area of language research. For the qualifying examination, students must write two papers of publishable quality in different core areas (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, psycholinguistics). A dissertation proposal is required for the advancement to candidacy examination.
Students are required to demonstrate mastery of a foreign language on the basis of a written examination. The quantitative methods requirement is fulfilled by a course on symbolic logic or formal language theory.
Students are expected to defend the dissertation and to give a public presentation of their doctoral research.
1 Languages of the World (4). The world has over 5,000 languages, with an exuberant variety of sounds, words, and grammars. Introduction to a representative selection (about eight), drawn from every continent. Students are not expected to learn these languages, but rather to explore them and study their structure and complexity. (VII-B)
3 Introduction to Linguistics (4). Emphasis on the notion that language is a remarkable achievement of the human mind. Current insights into the nature of language. Survey of various subfields of linguistics. Introduction to linguistic analysis. (III or V)
10 Introduction to Phonology (4). Basic concepts in phonetic description and phonological analysis. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3. Formerly Linguistics 110. (III or V)
20 Introduction to Syntax (4). Basic concepts in syntactic description and grammatical analysis. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3. Formerly Linguistics 120. (III or V)
51 Acquisition of Language (4). What children say, what they mean, and what they understand. Theories about the learning of language by one-, two-, and three-year olds. Comparison of kinds of data on which these theories are based. Same as Psychology 56L. (III)
52 Language and the Mind (4). The relationship of knowledge of grammar to mental processes and mental representations. How linguistic behavior is rule governed. Same as Psychology 76M.
68 Introduction to Language and Culture (4). Explores what the study of language can reveal about ourselves as bearers of culture. After introducing some basic concepts, examines how cultural knowledge is linguistically organized and how language might shape our perception of the world. Same as Anthropology 2D. (III)
80 Introduction to Semiotics. (4). How humans and other animals communicate with each other by means of symbols and other signs. The symbols of everyday life, of movies and literature, of religion and society. Symbolic systems and symbolic evolution. Same as Psychology 55A and Social Science 13A. (III)
99 Special Topics in Linguistics (4). Special topics at lower-division level. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
100 Grammatical Theory (4). Has both a phonology and a syntax component, and forms a bridge between lower-division course offerings and more advanced courses in phonology, syntax, and morphology. Emphasis on development of analytical skills, and evaluation of alternative proposals. Prerequisites: Linguistics 10 and 20.
101-109: COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS
102 Formal Languages and Automata (4). Formal aspects of describing and recognizing languages by grammars and automata. Parsing regular and context-free languages. Ambiguity, nondeterminism. Elements of computability: Turing machines, random access machines, undecidable problems, NP-completeness. Prerequisites: ICS 23 and ICS 51 with grades of C or better; Mathematics 2A-B-C; Mathematics 6A or ICS 6A; Mathematics 6B; Mathematics 6C or 3A. Same as Information and Computer Science 162.
110-119: PHONETICS / PHONOLOGY
111 Intermediate Phonology (4). Fundamentals of phonological theory. Intensive practice in phonological analysis. Prerequisite: Linguistics 100 or equivalent. Concurrent with Linguistics 211.
112 Advanced Phonology (4). Overview of recent developments in phonological theory. Prerequisite: Linguistics 111. Concurrent with Linguistics 212.
114 Current Topics in Phonological Theory (4). Phonology seminar. Intensive study of a small number of current topics in phonological theory. Prerequisite: Linguistics 112. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Concurrent with Linguistics 214.
119 Special Topics in Phonetics/Phonology (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
120-129: SYNTAX
121 Intermediate Syntax (4). Examination of syntactic phenomena and analysis, with emphasis on current issues in grammatical theory. Focus on the nature of syntactic rules, representations, and constraints as they determine empirical properties of language. Prerequisite: Linguistics 100 or equivalent. Concurrent with Linguistics 221.
122 Advanced Syntax (4). Intensive investigation of selected current topics in syntactic theory. Readings drawn from primary literature. Prerequisite: Linguistics 121. Concurrent with Linguistics 222.
124 Current Topics in Syntactic Theory (4). Research seminar in syntax. Intensive study of a small number of well-defined topics which have had significant impact on the development of syntactic theory. Prerequisite: Linguistics 122. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Concurrent with Linguistics 224.
129 Special Topics in Syntax (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
130-139: MORPHOLOGY
132 Morphology and the Lexicon (4). Study of the lexical representations of words; relation of the lexicon to phonology, morphology, and syntax, with special emphasis on recent theoretical developments. Prerequisite: Linguistics 10 or 20 or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Linguistics 232.
139 Special Topics in Morphology (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
140-149: SEMANTICS
140 Formal Foundations of Linguistics (4). Introduction to the fundamental concepts of logic, set theory, and automata theory, and their relation to linguistics. Prerequisite: at least one of the following: Linguistics 121 or 143, Philosophy 105B, Mathematics 150, ICS 162, or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Linguistics 240.
141 Topics in Philosophy of Language (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of language, e.g., the nature of meaning, mechanisms of reference, speech acts. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Philosophy 145.
143 Semantics (4). The role of semantics in an integrated linguistic theory. Examination of a truth theory for natural language and the role of logical form as the interface of syntax and semantics. Discussion of reference, predication, quantification, and intentionality. Readings drawn from linguistic and philosophical sources. Prerequisite: at least one of the following: Linguistics 100 or 140, Philosophy 105B, Mathematics 150, ICS 162, or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Linguistics 243.
149 Special Topics in Semantics (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
150-159: PSYCHOLINGUISTICS
150 Psychology of Language (4). Study of a particular topic in the psychology of language with particular emphasis on syntax and semantics. Same as Psychology 156A.
152 Linguistic Theories as Psychological Theories (4). Examines the claim that a central foundational tenet of contemporary linguistics is that linguistic theories are a type of psychological theory pertaining to the nature of human knowledge and language. Critical discussion from linguistic, psychological, and philosophical perspectives. Prerequisites: Linguistics 3 or Psychology 7A or 9A-B-C. Same as Psychology 157A. Concurrent with Linguistics 252.
154 Theories of Second Language Acquisition (4). Research in the acquisition and learning of second and foreign languages. The influence of language acquisition theory on past and current teaching methodology. A comparison of first and second language acquisition. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3. Recommended: Linguistics 51.
157 Psychology of Reading (4). Surveys the major components of skilled reading and the determinants of successful reading acquisition. Examination of contemporary models of skilled reading. Focuses on models of the development of reading. Research on the causes of developmental dyslexia. Prerequisites: Psychology 7A or 9A-B-C; Linguistics 150 or Psychology 140C; satisfactory completion of the lower-division writing requirement. Same as Psychology 143R. Concurrent with Linguistics 257.
158 Language and the Brain (4). Analysis of current research on the biological bases of human linguistic capacity. Development, focusing on hemispheric specialization and plasticity; localization of specific linguistic functions in adults, with emphasis on study of aphasias; relation of linguistic capacity to general cognitive capacity, considering research on retardation. Prerequisite: Biological Sciences1C when topic is Brain and Behavior, or Biological Sciences 110, or consent of instructor. Same as Biological Sciences 160 and Psychology 156B.
159 Special Topics in Psycholinguistics (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
160-169: LANGUAGE STUDIES
160 Language Typology (4). Cross-linguistic survey of major linguistic phenomena, especially as they pertain to word order, phrase structure, grammatical relations, anaphora, movement processes and constraints. Discussion of the relation between language universals and linguistic typology. Prerequisite: Linguistics 121. Concurrent with Linguistics 260.
163B The Structure of English (4). An examination of American English phonology, morphology, and syntax. Intended primarily for prospective teachers of English in elementary and secondary schools and for teachers of English as a second language. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3. Same as English 181.
164A Topics in Romance Languages (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Concurrent with Linguistics 264A.
164B French Phonetics (4). Study of the sound structure of French. Introduction to elements of general phonetics, contrastive (French/English) phonetics, and French phonetics and phonology. Designed to help students improve their pronunciation. Also serves as a preparatory course for language teaching. Prerequisite: French 2C or equivalent. Same as French 111.
165A Linguistic Structure of Chinese (4). Introduction to the phonology and major syntactic patterns of Mandarin Chinese. Prerequisite: Chinese 2C or Linguistics 10 or 20. Same as East Asian Languages and Literatures 113. Concurrent with Linguistics 265A.
165B Linguistic Structure of Japanese (4). Detailed analysis of essential grammatical aspects of Japanese. Comparison with aspects of English grammar. Course not designed to teach Japanese per se, but to study the grammatical characteristics of Japanese from the perspective of theoretical linguistics. Prerequisite: Linguistics 10 or 20. Same as East Asian Languages and Literatures 123. Concurrent with Linguistics 265B.
165C Linguistic Structure of Korean (4). Introduction to essential grammatical aspects of the Korean language. Comparisons to other languages. Prerequisite: East Asian Languages and Literatures 2C or consent of instructor. Same as East Asian Languages and Literatures 133.
166A Structures of Non-Indo-European Languages (4). Nontechnical analysis of essential grammatical aspects of selected non-Indo-European languages. Comparison and contrast with aspects of the grammars of more familiar Indo-European languages (e.g., English and French) are emphasized. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3.
168A Sociolinguistics (4). Sociolinguistic varieties of language examined from different points of view: geographical, temporal, and cultural. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3.
169 Special Topics in Language Studies (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
170-179: HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS
170 Historical Linguistics (4). Study of language change. Methods of historical analysis of language. Classification of languages and aspects of language change by internal reconstruction and the comparative method. Prerequisite: Linguistics 3. Recommended: Linguistics 10.
179 Special Topics in Historical Linguistics (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
180-189: COGNITIVE SEMIOTICS
180 Introduction to Cognitive Semiotics (4). Symbols and their webs. The foundation course in cognitive semiotics, comprising an introduction both from the philosophical standpoint represented by Peirce and from the linguistic standpoint represented by Dalgarno and Saussure. Current cognitive developments are studied. Same as Psychology 155A.
181 History of Semiotic Theory (4). The history of semiotic theory from Aristotle through the Greek and Roman Stoics and St. Augustine to Peirce and the present. The seventeenth-century obsession with the creation of a "universal and philosophical language" is treated. Prerequisite: Linguistics 180. A reading knowledge of Greek and/or Latin is very helpful. Same as Psychology 155H.
182 Cognitive Iconics (4). The study of writing systems (alphabets, runes, Mayan and Egyptian hieroglyphics) and their evolution and modern changes introduced spontaneously through "mistakes," with a view toward exploring aspects of the human mind. Same as Psychology 155I.
183 Semiotic Theory of Writing Systems (4). Ancient and modern writing systems, ranging from Sumerian pictographs through Egyptian and Mayan hieroglyphs to the Phoenician alphabet and its modern descendants (including our own). Distinctive traits of written language (what can be written that cannot be said?) and issues distinguishing hand-execution from eye-recognition. Prerequisite: Linguistics 10. Same as Psychology 155T.
184 Foundations of Communication (4). The logical and semiotic foundations of communication and signification. Same as Psychology 154C.
189 Special Topics in Cognitive Semiotics (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
190-199: SPECIAL COURSES
H190 Senior Thesis (4-4-4). Prerequisite: enrollment in Honors Program in Linguistics and consent of instructor; completion of lower-division writing requirement.
H192 Honors Seminar (4). Critical reading of current literature and discussion of work in progress by members of the department. A research paper is required. Prerequisite: enrollment in Honors Program in Linguistics and consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
H195 Honors Research Workshop (4). Research methods and paper-writing skills. Students present various stages of their Honors thesis research projects for feedback and guidance from the professor and each other. Prerequisite: enrollment in Honors Program in Linguistics and consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
197 Field Study (4). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
198 Directed Group Study (4). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
199 Independent Study (4). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Students may enroll for only one 199 each quarter.
209 Topics in Linguistics (1 to 4). Focuses on ongoing research in linguistics. Variable units based on course content as determined by Department. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
210-219: PHONETICS/PHONOLOGY
211 Phonology I (4). Fundamentals of phonological theory. Intensive practice in phonological analysis. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Linguistics 111.
212 Phonology II (4). Overview of recent developments in phonological theory. Prerequisite: Linguistics 211. Concurrent with Linguistics 112.
214 Phonology III (4). Intensive study of a small number of current topics in phonological theory. Prerequisite: Linguistics 212. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Concurrent with Linguistics 114.
218 Seminar in Phonetics/Phonology (4). Focuses on ongoing research in phonetics/phonology. Prerequisite: Linguistics 214 or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
219 Topics in Phonetics/Phonology (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
220-229: SYNTAX
221 Syntax I (4). Examination of syntactic phenomena and analysis, with emphasis on current issues in grammatical theory. Focus on the nature of syntactic rules, representations, and constraints as they determine empirical properties of language. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Linguistics 121.
222 Syntax II (4). Intensive investigation of selected current topics in syntactic theory. Readings drawn from primary literature. Prerequisite: Linguistics 221. Concurrent with Linguistics 122.
224 Syntax III (4). Research seminar in syntax. Intensive study of a small number of well-defined topics which have had significant impact on the development of syntactic theory. Prerequisite: Linguistics 222. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Concurrent with Linguistics 124.
228 Seminar in Syntax (4). Seminar representing instructor's and graduate students' current research. Prerequisite: Linguistics 224 or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
229 Topics in Syntax (1 to 4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
230-239: MORPHOLOGY
232 Morphology and the Lexicon (4). Study of the lexical representations of words; relation of the lexicon to phonology, morphology, and syntax, with special emphasis on recent theoretical developments. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Linguistics 132.
239 Topics in Morphology (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
240-249: SEMANTICS
240 Formal Foundations of Linguistics (4). Introduction to the fundamental concepts of logic, set theory, and automata theory, and their relation to linguistics. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Linguistics 140.
241 Topics in Philosophy of Language (4). Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Philosophy 245.
243 Semantics I (4). The role of semantics in an integrated linguistic theory. Examination of a truth theory for natural language and the role of logical form as the interface of syntax and semantics. Discussion of reference, predication, quantification, and intentionality. Readings drawn from linguistic and philosophical sources. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Linguistics 143.
244 Semantics II (4). The empirical study of semantics within linguistic theory. Emphasis on the Theory of Logical Form and its integration in the broader context of the representation of syntactic and semantic structure. Explores quantification, anaphora and ellipsis. Prerequisite: Linguistics 243.
248 Seminar in Semantics (4). Focuses on ongoing research in semantics. Prerequisite: Linguistics 244 or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
249 Topics in Semantics (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
250-259: PSYCHOLINGUISTICS
252 Linguistic Theories as Psychological Theories (4). Examines the claim that a central foundational tenet of contemporary linguistics is that linguistic theories are a type of psychological theory pertaining to the nature of human knowledge and language. Critical discussion from linguistic, psychological, and philosophical perspectives. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Linguistics 152 and Psychology 157A.
257 Psychology of Reading (4). Surveys the major components of skilled reading and the determinants of successful reading acquisition. Examination of contemporary models of skilled reading. Focuses on models of the development of reading. Research on the causes of developmental dyslexia. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Psychology 215. Concurrent with Linguistics 157 and Psychology 143R.
258 Seminar in Psycholinguistics (4). Focuses on ongoing research in psycholinguistics. Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
259 Topics in Psycholinguistics (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
260-269: LANGUAGE STUDIES
260 Language Typology (4). Cross-linguistic survey of major linguistic phenomena, especially as they pertain to word order, phrase structure, grammatical relations, anaphora, movement processes and constraints. Discussion of the relation between language universals and linguistic typology. Prerequisite: Linguistics 221 or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Linguistics 160.
264A Topics in Romance Languages (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Concurrent with Linguistics 164A.
265A Linguistic Structure of Chinese (4). Introduction to the phonology and major syntactic patterns of Mandarin Chinese. Open only to Linguistics graduate students or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Linguistics 165A and East Asian Languages and Literatures 113.
265B Linguistic Structure of Japanese (4). Detailed analysis of essential grammatical aspects of Japanese. Comparison with aspects of English grammar. Course not designed to teach Japanese per se, but to study the grammatical characteristics of Japanese from the perspective of theoretical linguistics. Prerequisite: Linguistics 221 or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Linguistics 165B and East Asian Languages and Literatures 123.
268 Seminar in Language Studies (4). Seminar in language studies. Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
269 Topics in Language Studies (4). Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
290-299: SPECIAL COURSES
290 Dissertation Research (4 to 12). Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated for credit.
295 Research Workshop (4). Under close faculty guidance, students prepare the papers of publishable quality required for the qualifying examination. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Students may take the course once for each of the two required papers.
299 Independent Study (1 to 4). Prerequisite: graduate standing and consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
