Linguistics Program Concentrations

Cognitive Science and Theoretical Linguistics

This concentration focuses on the workings of language in the mind and the brain. It encompasses the following subfields: theoretical linguistics, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, philosophy of language, language acquisition, and language disorders. Program faculty members in theoretical linguistics specialize in phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. In psycholinguistics there are specialists in language processing, focusing on discourse and reading. The Eye Movement Lab, the Language and Cognition Lab, and the Pediatric Neuroscience Lab are available for experimental research.

Faculty having Cognitive Science and Theoretical Linguistics as an area of interest:

Core faculty
Amit Almor (Psychology): Psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, language processing
Anne Bezuidenhout (Philosophy): Philosophy of language, pragmatics, cognitive science
Stanley Dubinsky (English): Linguistic theory, syntax, semantics
D. Eric Holt (Languages): Phonology, optimality theory
Robin Morris (Psychology): Psycholinguistics, language processing in reading
Barbara Schulz (English): Syntax, Linguistic theory, Sentence Processing

Consulting faculty
Stella de Bode (Communication Sciences): Neurolinguistics, language and the brain, acquisition
Elaine Frank (Communication Sciences): Neurolinguistic disorders, aphasia
Hiram McDade (Communication Sciences): Language development

Language Variation and Change

This concentration centers on language in its relation to society and culture, its use and its development over time. Program faculty members specialize in sociolinguistics, historical and comparative linguistics, dialectology, and linguistic anthropology. Their research focuses on a number of languages, including American English, Caribbean creoles, Mayan, Germanic languages (German, Scandinavian, English, Dutch, Frisian), Romance languages (Spanish, Asturian, Galician, Portuguese), Celtic languages (Irish), Slavic (Bosnian), and Indo-European. They examine various parts of the grammar, including phonology, morpho-syntax, syntax, and discourse analysis. The sociolinguistics laboratory is available for analysis of data collected in field research.

Faculty having Language Variation and Change as an area of interest:

Core faculty
Anne Bezuidenhout (Philosophy): Discourse analysis
Dorothy Disterheft (English): Indo-European and Celtic linguistics, historical syntax
Janina Fenigsen (Anthropology): Linguistic anthropology, political economy of language
Kurt Goblirsch (Languages): Germanic Linguistics, historical phonology, dialectology
D. Eric Holt (Languages): Spanish and Portuguese linguistics, historical phonology, dialectology
Jennifer Reynolds (Anthropology): Linguistic anthropology, political economy of language
Tracey Weldon (English): Varieties of American English, sociolinguistics, morpho-syntax

Consulting faculty
Junko Baba (Languages): Japanese linguistics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics
Curtis Ford (Languages): Slavic linguistics, language standardization
Scott Gwara (English): Old English, English philology

Second Language Acquisition and Teaching

This concentration deals with second language acquisition, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and the teaching of foreign languages. There is faculty expertise in the structure of the following languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. Research areas include second language acquisition theory, second language reading and writing, technology and language instruction, and the application of linguistics to primary and secondary education. Research is conducted in the classes of the Department of Languages and the English Program for Internationals.

Faculty having Second Language Acquisition and Teaching as an area of interest:

Core faculty
Dorothy Disterheft (English): Applied English syntax, English grammar
Kurt Goblirsch (Languages): Structure of German
D. Eric Holt (Languages): Structure of Spanish
Lara Lomicka (Languages): Foreign language acquisition theory, research, pedagogy
Alexandra Rowe (English Program for Internationals): second language writing
Barbara Schulz (English): Second language acquisition theory

Consulting faculty
Junko Baba (Languages): Japanese applied linguistics
Annie Duménil (Languages): French applied linguistics, language pedagogy
Lara Ducate (Languages): German applied linguistics, computer-assisted communication
Curtis Ford (Languages): Russian applied linguistics
Susi Long (Instruction and Teacher Education): Language and literacy, culture and language