Linguistics has been offered at Queen’s since the late 1970's. In 2009, it joined the Department of German, being housed previously with French Studies. Since an amalgamation in 2011, Linguistics is part of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. The program consists of three permanent faculty members as well as a wonderful team of talented adjunct faculty. This relatively small program is extremely vibrant and offers superb training to award-winning students, many of whom are recruited by the best graduate programs in North America.
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers courses covering the core aspects of Linguistics as well as other Linguistics-related courses. Students can count the courses toward a Major or Minor in Linguistics, take them as concept courses toward a World Language Studies Minor, or as electives.
Click here for the current Course Offerings.
| Course | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LING 100/6.0 | Introduction to Linguistics | This course provides an introduction to the linguistic study of language. Topics covered include phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax. The course focuses on universal characteristics of language and draws on examples from a variety of languages. |
| LING 202/3.0 | Canadian English | This course investigates the distinctive characteristics of Canadian English as it is spoken and written today. Topics include historical development, regional dialects, and current changes. Students will have access to the extensive bibliographic and computer corpus resources of the Strathy Language Unit. |
| LING 205/3.0 | Language and Power | This course examines how language reflects and creates power relations in society. Students will learn fundamentals in the linguistic study of language usage and style, and examine language and power in areas such as language socialization, language and age, language and gender, language and education, and language and culture. |
| LING 210/3.0 | Language Acquisition and Learning | How do children acquire their first language? How are second/subsequent languages learned? Topics include first language stages of learning, bilingualism, language disorders, theories of learning, individual differences, interlanguage, and language instruction, including contexts of heritage languages and language revitalization. PREREQUISITE: Level 2. |
| LING 310/3.0 | Phonetics | This course provides a foundation in the study of speech sounds. The focus is on articulatory phonetics, how to classify and transcribe different sounds of speech according to their articulatory features. The course also offers an introduction to acoustic phonetics and feature geometry theory. PREREQUISITE: LING 100/6.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 320/3.0 | Phonology | Principles and methods of modern generative phonology. Examination of the formal properties of the sound systems of languages. Current theoretical controversies as well as particular synchronic and diachronic problems in a variety of languages. PREREQUISITE: LING 100/6.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 330/3.0 | Morphology | This course provides a foundation in principles of morphological analysis. Topics covered include inflectional and derivational morphology as well as the morphology-syntax and morphology-phonology interfaces. Emphasis is placed on practical discovery method, and formal analysis and explanation. PREREQUISITE: LING 100/6.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 340/3.0 | Syntax | This course provides a foundation in syntactic analysis and explanation. The course focuses on the relation between structure and meaning, and assumes the framework of Universal Grammar Theory. Topics covered include thematic roles, case, anaphora, NP movement and WH movement. PREREQUISITE: LING 100/6.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 350/3.0 | Introduction to Historical Linguistics | This course introduces the linguistic study of historical language change. The focus is on principles and method in the study of phonological, morphological and syntactic change. Case studies will be drawn from a cross-section of languages, including but not limited to members of the Indo-European language family. PREREQUISITE: LING 320/3.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 360/3.0 | Comparative Morpho-Syntax | This course examines morpho-syntactic variation across languages. Topics covered include argument structure, derivation versus compounding, case, anaphora, determiners, clause typing and related phenomena. The course assumes the framework of Universal Grammar Theory with a focus on how comparative studies in morpho-syntax inform linguistic analysis and theory. PREREQUISITE: LING 330/3.0 and LING 340/3.0 or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 370/3.0 | Living Languages: Resilience and Revitalization in Practice |
This course examines how Indigenous and minority peoples globally are responding to the potential loss of their languages. In addition to the social, political, and economic causes and impacts of language loss, we will examine how diverse groups of people are resisting this loss. Strategies for reclaiming and strengthening languages are analyzed. |
| LING 400/3.0 | Linguistic Analysis and Argumentation |
This course explores the forms of reasoning and evidence used in constructing and evaluating scientific arguments in linguistics, through discussion of articles that represent significant innovations and controversies in linguistic theory. Emphasis is on the structure of arguments, rather than on the analysis of individual languages or phenomena. |
| LING 415/3.0 | Semantics | The aim of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental concepts and tools of analysis in semantics. Students will learn to recognize and identify different features of word meaning and a variety of semantic relations between words and sentences. The characteristics of logical relations and truth-functional semantics and the role these play in the interpretation of words and sentences will be discussed. PREREQUISITE: LING 340/3.0, or permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 435/3.0 |
Advanced Morpho-Syntax |
This course addresses advanced topics in the interface between morphology and syntax from comparative perspective, drawing on evidence from different languages. Readings are selected from the current research literature, and the class includes a substantial component of student presentations and class discussion. |
| LING 475/9.0 | Field Methods in Linguistics | This course provides instruction in method and procedure in linguistic fieldwork. The course investigates the syntax, morphology and phonology of a language unfamiliar to the participants. The instruction is structured around weekly fieldwork sessions dedicated to data collection working with a native speaker of the language, and weekly workshops devoted to analysis. The course contains an intensive independent study component. PREREQUISITE: LING 310/3.0, LING 320/3.0, LING 330/3.0, LING 340/3.0. |
| LING 490/3.0 | Special Topics in Linguistics |
This is a seminar course on a selected topic relating to linguistics; content varies from year to year. For detailed information, consult the Department's current year's Special Topics Offerings webpage. |
| LING 501/3.0 | Directed Readings in Linguistics | Upon agreement with a qualified instructor, this course may be taken by an upper-year student in Linguistics to explore a specific area or methodology. Regular meetings, directed readings. PREREQUISITE: (6.0 units at the 300 level or above in LING) and (a GPA of 3.50) and permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |
| LING 505/9.0 | Honours Thesis in Linguistics | Upon agreement with a qualified instructor, students with fourth year standing in Linguistics may take this course to develop and demonstrate research skills in Linguistics. Working under supervision, students will choose a specific topic in a particular language, prepare a research proposal which involves the collection and analysis of data, carry out the research, and write a thesis based on the results. Fall and Winter Terms. PREREQUISITE: Level 4 in a LING Plan and (12.0 units at the 300 level or above in LING) and (a GPA of 3.50) and permission of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. |