Ling 523 | Daily syllabus

This syllabus is updated after each day's class.
Use it to keep track of what we've done and where we're going.

Preparing for the first day of class

Background and interests survey
- Link to the survey (Google Forms) from this Canvas Announcement
Reading: Zsiga (2013), Ch 10, sec 10.1 (pp 199-203), "The necessity of abstraction" [Course Reserves via Canvas]
- Preparation for discussion on the first day of class
- Read before the first class if possible, or by M Jan 12

[01] W Jan 7

Covered today: Introduction to the course; Phonology in mental grammar [outline]
- Handout - Course information and policies
- Handout - Course objectives
To read for M Jan 12: see Canvas Course Reserves
- For phonetics review (optional): Hayes (2009), Ch 1
- On fundamental phonology concepts: Zsiga (2013), Ch 10
  - sec 10.1: Review and background for today's class discussion
  - sec 10.2-~~10.4~~: Our focus for next time
  - Reading guide
Spot-check: (as 01.12): Please fill out the background & interests survey if you haven't already | due M Jan 12, 2pm
Review: Phonetics review guides (we'll check in on these next class)
- Know the following concepts, terms, and symbols for the phonetics/distribution quiz
  - Handout - Consonants
  - Handout - Vowels — this will be our reference vowel chart for this course
- Optional phonetics review links for additional review and practice
- FYI - more IPA charts
  - Why don't we treat [a] as a front vowel? See Sidney Wood's blog post "Is cardinal 4 front or central?"

[02] M Jan 12

Covered today: [outline]
- Phonetics check-in
  - Review handouts (see M Jan 7)
- Phonological analysis basics: Contrast, distribution, productivity
  - Zsiga (2013), ch 10 (sec 2) (Course Reserves)
  - Reading guide
  - Exercise (9) (Russian)
  - Data set - Tohono O'odham
To read for W Jan 14: see Canvas Course Reserves
- On fundamental phonology concepts: Zsiga (2013), Ch 10
  - sec 10.3-10.4: Our focus for next time
  - Reading guide
Discussion exercise for W Jan 14: Exercise (10) (Farsi) from Zsiga (2013: Ch 10)
- Goes with spot-check 01.14 in Canvas Assignments, due W Jan 14, 2pm

[03] W Jan 14

Covered today: Distribution; "basic" allophones and URs [outline]
- Zsiga (2013), ch 10 (sec 3-4) (Course Reserves)
- Reading guide
- Exercise (10) (Farsi)
Discussion exercise for W Jan 21: Turkish minimal pairs — Vowels
- Goes with spot-check 01.21 in Canvas Assignments, due W Jan 21, 2pm
- Note that this data set is large, but you do not necessarily need to analyze all of it to answer the question posed at the beginning — part of the goal is to consider how to use the data set efficiently
Upcoming: Phonetics and distribution quiz on M Jan 26
- Review phonetics handouts: consonants | vowels
- Review predictable/contrastive distribution, stating environments
- Bring any questions to class next time

M Jan 19

[04] W Jan 21

Covered today: Morphological analysis; morpheme alternation [outline]
- Turkish minimal pairs — Vowels
- Phonetics of Turkish vowels, via University of Munich and the Handbook of the IPA
- Data set - Spanish nouns
- Data set - Turkish suffixes
Prepare: Phonetics and distribution quiz on ~~M Jan 26~~ W Jan 28
- Review phonetics handouts: consonants | vowels
- Review predictable/contrastive distribution, stating environments
To read for ~~W Jan 28~~ M Feb 2: see Canvas Course Reserves
- On alternating morphemes and URs: Odden (2005), Ch 4 excerpts
  - sec 4.1-4.3 and sec 4.6 (up to p. 88/Palauan)
  - Reading guide (coming soon)
To prepare for ~~W Jan 28~~ M Feb 2: Propose URs for the alternating morphemes
- Data set - Turkish suffixes
- Data set - Javanese
- Goes with spot-check 02.02 in Canvas Assignments, due M Feb 2, 2pm (available soon)

M Jan 26

[05] W Jan 28

Covered today: Phonetics and distribution quiz
To read for ~~M Feb 2~~ W Feb 4: see Canvas Course Reserves
- On alternating morphemes and URs: Odden (2005), Ch 4 excerpts
  - sec 4.1-4.3 and sec 4.6 (up to p. 88/Palauan)
  - Reading guide
To prepare for ~~M Feb 2~~ W Feb 4: Propose URs for the alternating morphemes
- Data set - Turkish suffixes
- Data set - Javanese
- Goes with spot-check 02.02 in Canvas Assignments, due W Feb 4, 2pm

M Feb 2

[06] W Feb 4

Covered today: Morpheme alternations and URs [outline]
- Data set - Turkish suffixes
- Data set - Javanese
To read for W Feb 11: see Canvas Course Reserves
- On phonological features and segment classes: Zsiga (2013), Ch 12
To prepare for W Feb 11: Test the Zsiga feature model against the language patterns in the data set handout
- Data set - Distinctive features and segment classes
- You don't have to do Q46 and Q47 - but be prepared to be called on in class for any of the others!
- Goes with spot-check 02.11 in Canvas Assignments, due W Feb 11, 2pm

M Feb 9

[07] W Feb 11

Covered today: Model-building in linguistics; Feature models of segmental representation [outline]
- Handout - Model-building in scientific research
- Handout - List of distinctive features in Zsiga (2013: Ch 12)
- Data set - Distinctive features and segment classes
- FYI only: Reading guide for Mielke (2005), if you'd like to read the article on your own
Upcoming: Analysis Assignment #1
- Two presentation groups: Somali and Swahili
- Please complete spot-check 02.16 in Canvas Assignments, due M Feb 16, 2pm (just a survey about your preferences for language to analyze and group members to work with)

[08] M Feb 16

Covered today: Evidence for syllable structure in phonology [outline]
- Data sets - Representing syllables and syllable structure
To read for W Feb 18: see Canvas Course Reserves
- On syllables and syllable structure: Zec (2007)
  - Reading guide
  - We previewed sec 8.1-8.3 in class; focus on 8.3, 8.4, hopefully 8.5 for Wed
Upcoming: Analysis Assignment #1, to be presented in class on M Feb 23
- Somali (MC, WM, LW)
- Swahili (HC, CG, MH, ZR)
- Grading criteria

[09] W Feb 18

Covered today: A formal model of syllable structure [outline]
- Data sets - Representing syllables and syllable structure
- On syllables and syllable structure: Zec (2007) [Course Reserves] | Reading guide
Assignment: Analysis Assignment #1, to be presented in class on M Feb 23
- Somali (MC, WM, LW)
- Swahili (HC, CG, MH, ZR)
- Grading criteria

Daily syllabus