Maitre-assistant

office hours : ...

phone : 

705 70 30 (Eva Capitao)

Teaching

Introduction to Linguistics

Tuesday 18-20, Room B112

 Starting form a brief look at the neuro-biological foundations of language, this course of lecture discusses the subject matter and methodology of linguistics. On the basis of sets of data it will be shown how descriptive generalizations can lead to a formulation of specific properties of language. The fields of investigation will include semantics (meaning), phonology (sound system), morphology (word formation) and syntax (sentence structure) of English. The lecture course is recommended to all first-year students and the contents are further discussed and exercised in the the English Linguistics TP.

The Principle and Parameter Approach: Theory and Applications           

Tuesday 12-14, Room L208

 In recent years the Principle and Parameter (P&P) approach has proved fruitful for

a)      constraining the core of innate grammatical knowledge (Pprinciples)

b)      defining the differences found between individual languages (parameters)

c)      describing diachronic change (parameter resetting) and

d)      the investigation of first and second language acquisition (parameter setting and resetting).

Starting from a discussion of P&P theory, several principles and parameters will be investigated. The focus will be on the phenomenon of ‘verb raising’ which captures a major difference of French and English. Problems of setting and resetting this parameter will be discussed in the context of certain diachronic changes of English, but especially with respect to the difficulties encountered in first and second language acquisition.

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