Linguistics

• CAS LX 732: Intermediate Semantics: The Grammatical Construction of Meaning
  Graduate Prerequisites: CAS LX 631 (formerly CAS LX 502), or consent of instructor. - Systematic development of a semantic theory of natural language, using the tools of model-theoretic semantics. In-depth study of the relation between meaning and grammar, and the relation between meaning and context. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course entitled "Semantics II" that was previously numbered CAS LX 503.
• CAS LX 733: Experimental Pragmatics
  Graduate Prerequisites: GRS LX 631 (formerly CAS LX 502), or consent of instructor. - Covers recent developments in the theory of pragmatics and related empirical findings obtained through a variety of experimental methods. Topics include scalar implicature and its relation to vagueness and imprecision, hyperbole, metaphor, irony, politeness, and the pragmatics of reference to objects in visual scenes. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • Quantitative Reasoning II
• CAS LX 754: Acquisition of Syntax
  Graduate Prerequisites: GRSLX621, or consent of instructor. Exploration of the character and course of acquisition of syntactic knowledge in both first and second language contexts. Covers methodological principles for conducting studies and analyzing data, and topics including development of verb movement, binding theory, morphosyntax, and tense expression.
• CAS LX 790: Intermediate Topics in Linguistics
  Prereq: Graduate standing or consent of instructor - Topics for Spring 2024: Advanced Morphophonology. Investigation of what morphology and phonology are, how they may or may not be distinct, and how they interact. Topics will vary, but may include: emergence, innateness, inflectional classes, morphomes, paradigms, rules and/or constraints, analogy, cyclicity, ineffability, and prosodic morphology.
• CAS LX 795: Quantitative Methods in Linguistics
  Graduate Prerequisites: graduate standing in the Linguistics program, or consent of instructor. - Introduces students to quantitative approaches to linguistic data, including visualization, hypothesis testing, and data modeling. Students gain proficiency in R, an open-source statistical environment, and learn the logic behind statistical techniques, as well as practical skills for using them.
• CAS LX 796: Computational Linguistics
  Graduate Prerequisites: CAS LX 250 and CAS CS 112, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to computational techniques to explore linguistic models and test empirical claims. Serves as an introduction to concepts, algorithms, data structures, and tool libraries. Topics include tagging and classification, parsing models, meaning representation, corpus creation, information extraction. [Students who have already taken CAS LX 394/GRS LX 694 are not eligible to take this course.] Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Quantitative Reasoning II
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS LX 801: Seminar in Linguistic Research
  Advanced graduate students working on their qualifying research papers or thesis present and discuss work in progress. The course is organized thematically based on students' research areas. Readings each week are determined on the basis of the research discussed. 2 cr. per semester.
• CAS LX 802: Seminar in Linguistic Research
  Advanced graduate students working on their qualifying research papers or thesis present and discuss work in progress. The course is organized thematically based on students' research areas. Readings each week are determined on the basis of the research discussed. 2 cr. per semester.