Syllabus
Oct 11
CLASS 1
Topic: ORIGINS OF SPEECH and MODERN MAN
Description:
Cognition, language intelligence and language creativity
Nativist vs. anti-nativist views/ Instinct and language module vs. social learning and cognition
TED: The search for human ancestors in Ethiopia, by Z. Alemseged https://www.ted.com/talks/zeresenay_alemseged_looks_for_humanity_s_roots?language=en
Human ancestors vs. modern humans: What we need to add to the mind to get language? (J. Searle)
Animals’ communication systems vs. the language of humans (D. Premack)
What are the reasons for the rise of humans and modern language? TED Talk by Y. N. Harari
How language transformed humanity, TED Talk by M. Pagel
Readings: Sedivy, ch. 2, pp. 9-31
Assignment: Web activity 2.1-2.3 in http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind/
Oct 18
CLASS 2
Topic: HOW HUMANS INVENT LANGUAGE
Description: Inventing and learning language
Gesturing, babbling, speaking, writing and signing
Language change: Survival of the fittest? Language diversity
The birth of a language documentary (investing sign language in Nicaragua)
Understanding language, UC lecture by J. Elman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1pbnWcabMY
Readings: Sedivy, ch. 2, pp. 31-50
Assignment: Web activity 2.4-2.5 http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind/
Oct 25
CLASS 3
Topic: LANGUAGE and the BRAIN
Description: Genetic disorders: Specific language disorder, dyslexia, etc.
The quest to understand consciousness, TED Talk by A. Damasio
Understanding language, by J. Elman (cont.)
Readings: Sedivy, ch. 3, pp. 54-67
Recommended: Language is not an instinct, by V. Evans
Assignment: Web activity in http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind/
Nov 1
CLASS 4
Topic: MAPPING LANGUAGE in the BRAIN
Description: How does brain process, perceive and produce language?
McGilchrist,The Divided Brain, TED Talk
Reading: Sedivy, ch. 3, pp. 67-84
Assignment: Web activity in http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind/
Nov 8
CLASS 5
TBA
Nov. 18
CLASS 6
Topic: INFANTS’ LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: LEARNING SOUND PATTERNS
Description: How infants learn: The nature of speaking; Sound recognition and matching sounds to words;
Concepts and reference
Reading: Learning sounds, in Sedivy, ch. 4
Nov 22
CLASS 7
Topic: LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: LEARNING WORDS
Logic and brain, TED Talk by Laura Schultz
Description:
The nature of speaking; Sound recognition and matching sounds to words;
Concepts and reference
Readings: Learning words, in Sedivy, ch. 5
Assignment: Web activity in http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind
Nov 29
CLASS 8
Topic: LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: LEARNING THE STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES
Description: How does mind build “logical“ sentences and “correct“ grammatical structures?
Readings: Learning the structure of words and sentences, in Sedivy, ch. 5, pp. 168-80, and ch. 6, pp. 185-200
Dec 6
CLASS 9
Topic: LANGUAGE DIVERSITY
Description: Language universals; Speakers’ learning biases
Reading: Sedivy, pp. 471-492, ch. 12.1 and 12.2
Assignment: web activities of http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind/
Dec 13
CLASS 10
Topic: LANGUAGE DIVERSITY
Description: Words, concepts and cultures
Reading: Sedivy, pp. 492-516, ch. 12.3-12.5
Assignment: web activities and maps on variation across languages http://sites.sinauer.com/languageinmind/wa12.01.html
Annotation
HUMAN LANGUAGE and MIND deals with psychological and cognitive aspects of language as key to human brain, mind and creativity. It tackles the interrelation of language, thought and brain; language in mediating experience, remembering and creating meaning; the instinctive, emotional and rational in human cognition; pre-linguistic vs. linguistic cognition; language acquisition in children; bilinguals’ speaking and thinking; and sign language.
The course provides a perspective on language as foundational to human culture and mind.