Department of Linguistics
Minor in Linguistics
Students on Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022 requirements LINGMIN
Requirements
The minor requires at least 15 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Introduction to Linguistics. One (1) course:
- LING-L 103 Introduction to the Study of Language
- LING-L 203 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis
LING-L 103 Introduction to the Study of Language
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- A survey of perspectives on language, covering topics such as the relation between the form of words and sentences and their meanings, the sounds of languages and their dialect variations, the use of language in daily life, language in humans and animals, and the relationship between language and thought.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 203 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to basic concepts of linguistic analysis, exemplifying the general principles of structural approaches to the modeling of language. Focus on, and application of, analytical methods applied in phonetics/phonology and morphology/syntax.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of LING-L 203 or LING-L 303.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
- Electives. 12 credit hours:
- LING-L 112 Language and Politics
- LING-L 115 African American Language
- LING-L 205 Language and Style
- LING-L 210 Topics in Language and Society
- LING-L 213 Language Acquisition
- LING-L 214 Animal Communication
- LING-L 245 Language and Computers
- LING-L 306 Phonetics
- LING-L 307 Phonology
- LING-L 308 Morphology
- LING-L 310 Syntax
- LING-L 315 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- LING-L 325 Semantics
- LING-L 367 Languages of the World
- LING-L 399 Readings in Linguistics (Honors)
- LING-L 413 Psycholinguistics
- LING-L 415 Corpus Linguistics
- LING-L 430 Language Change and Variation
- LING-L 431 Field Methods
- LING-L 432 Advanced Field Methods
- LING-L 435 Foundational Skills in Computational Linguistics
- LING-L 441 Field Methods in Sociolinguistics
- LING-L 445 The Computer and Natural Language
- LING-L 480 Introduction to African Linguistics
- LING-L 481 Language in Africa
- LING-L 485 Topics in Linguistics
- LING-L 490 Linguistic Structures
- LING-L 499 Honors Project
- LING-X 471 Undergraduate Teaching Internship in Linguistics
- LING-X 473 Internship in Linguistics
- LING-X 477 Field Experience in Linguistics
- LING-X 490 Readings in Linguistics
LING-L 112 Language and Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores how language and politics influence each other. The speeches of presidents, vice presidents, congressmen, senators, governors, and action group members will be examined. Course topics include notions of context, political pronouns, parallelism, metaphors, questions and answers, political correctness, censorship, and the politics about languages (language policy issues).
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 115 African American Language
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to African American Language, the English variety spoken by North Americans of African descent. Develops skills in describing the variety's pronunciation, vocabulary, and sentence structure patterns. Explores diversity within AAL as well as the impact of linguistic prejudice on AAL speakers.
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
LING-L 205 Language and Style
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- A study of variation in language, particularly as it affects the transmission of meaning. Geographic, social, sexual, and situational linguistic variation will be studied. The specialized forms and functions of the languages of politics, advertising, and literature will be examined in detail, as will various strategies for verbal manipulation.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 210 Topics in Language and Society
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The study of topics relating to the role of language as a social phenomenon.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 213 Language Acquisition
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores and evaluates the biological foundations of language as well as the impact of the learning environment on acquisition. Covers typical language development and language learning in exceptional circumstances.
LING-L 214 Animal Communication
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- A comparative overview surveying basic aspects of animal communication, including human communication, and covering such issues as the nature of communicative signals, the relative unity versus diversity within communicating groups, and the role of learning versus innateness in communication systems.
LING-L 245 Language and Computers
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Present-day computer systems work with human language. This course surveys issues relating natural language to computers, covers real-world applications, and provides practical experience with natural language on computers. Topics include text encoding, search technology, machine translation, dialogue systems, computer-aided language learning, and the social context of technology.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 306 Phonetics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to the nature of speech, and the physiology and process of speech production, and training in IPA transcription of utterances drawn from the languages of the world, including various English dialects. The course includes an emphasis on naturally occurring speech and understanding physical aspects of speech behavior. Some laboratory work is included.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 307 Phonology
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- R: LING-L 306
- Description
- Basic concepts such as the phoneme and distinctive feature as defined and used within particular theories. The relationship of phonology to phonetics and morphology; exploration of salient aspects of sound structure and some characteristic modes of argumentation; extensive phonological analysis with some practice in writing phonological rules.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 308 Morphology
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 103, LING-L 203, or LING-L 307
- Description
- An introduction to morphology, the study of the internal structure of words. Topics include the concept of the morpheme, the structure of words and processes of word formation, inflection versus derivation, and issues in morphological theory. Students will do morphological analyses on forms drawn from a variety of languages.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 310 Syntax
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- R: LING-L 203
- Description
- Examination of the basic concepts, assumptions, and argumentation of modern syntactic theory to describe and analyze common syntactic structures in English and other languages. Practice in constructing and evaluating grammars.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 315 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the relationship between language and society. Issues include the nature of sociolinguistics; the importance of age, sex, socioeconomic status, language ideologies; why people use different dialects/languages in different situations; bilingualism and multilingualism; language choice, language attitudes, language endangerment; the relevance of sociolinguistics to general linguistics theory.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 325 Semantics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- R: LING-L 203
- Description
- An introduction to the relationship between linguistic forms and their meanings, use, and interpretation. Students will investigate the domain of linguistic semantics and acquire the "tools" to do semantic analysis and to critically evaluate those of others.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 367 Languages of the World
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 103 or LING-L 203
- Description
- Survey of the language families of the world, including their chief grammatical characteristics, geographical distribution, and cultural status. Topics include methods and evidence for language grouping, causes for linguistic diversity, characteristics of endangered languages, and causes for their endangerment.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 399 Readings in Linguistics (Honors)
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of departmental honors committee
- Notes
- Honors course
- Description
- None
- Repeatability
- May be repeated twice for a maximum of 12 credit hours.
LING-L 413 Psycholinguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Provides an introduction to Psycholinguistics, the interdisciplinary study of how humans acquire, produce, and comprehend language. Explores and evaluates theories of language processing, as well as experimental evidence in support of those theories.
LING-L 415 Corpus Linguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 203 and LING-L 245
- Description
- Computer technology has revolutionized the ways linguists approach data. Large bodies of text (corpora) can now be searched to uncover complexities in natural data and explore specific linguistic phenomena. Explores the nature of corpora and programs that annotate or automatically produce a concordance, and how such programs are developed and used.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 430 Language Change and Variation
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 307
- Notes
- R: LING-L 310 or LING-L 308
- Description
- An introduction to how languages change over time and how prehistoric languages can be reconstructed by comparing their modern descendants. Major topics include principles of language change; historical reconstruction; language relatedness and language families; variation and the mechanism of language change; contact-induced change; the birth and death of languages.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 431 Field Methods
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 307
- Notes
- R: LING-L 310
- Description
- Introduction to the procedures involved in the structural description of language, using a native speaker of an unfamiliar language whose speech will be analyzed.
LING-L 432 Advanced Field Methods
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 431
- Description
- Advanced analysis of the language under study in LING-L 431.
LING-L 435 Foundational Skills in Computational Linguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- No previous programming experience required. Introduces basic concepts in programming such as loops or functions with the goal of attaining practical skills for text processing and solving problems in computational linguistics: expression searching, managing text, searching in text, and extracting information from text.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 441 Field Methods in Sociolinguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 307 and LING-L 315
- Notes
- R: LING-L 310
- Description
- A practical introduction to sociolinguistic research, including methods of data collection and quantitative analysis. Experience in all stages of sociolinguistic research, culminating in an original research paper developed from fieldwork. Topics may include social variation among Bloomington natives, regional variation in the Midwest, gender differences among IU students, politeness strategies, and register differences associated with different settings.
LING-L 445 The Computer and Natural Language
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Present-day computer systems work with human language in many different forms, whether as stored data in the form of text, typed queries to a database or search engine, or speech commands in a voice-driven computer system. We also increasingly expect computers to produce human language, such as user-friendly error messages and synthesized speech. This course surveys a range of linguistic issues and problems in computational linguistics.
- Fall 2024CASE NMcourseSummer 2024CASE NMcourseSpring 2024CASE NMcourse
LING-L 480 Introduction to African Linguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- LING-L 203 or linguistics major
- Description
- Introduction to the linguistic study of African languages; questions of language distribution, typological and genetic classification, comparative reconstruction, and structural aspects of individual languages.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 481 Language in Africa
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study of language as an integral component of the lives of African peoples. Topics include linguistic rituals, such as greetings, condolences, apologies, and leave-taking; speaking the unspeakable, joking and insulting, storytelling, proverbs, and anthroponymy. Issues addressed include women and rhetoric, language education, and the dynamics of language spread.
- Fall 2024CASE GCCcourseSummer 2024CASE GCCcourseSpring 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
LING-L 485 Topics in Linguistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- Prerequisites vary by topic
- Description
- Studies in special topics not ordinarily covered in departmental courses.
LING-L 490 Linguistic Structures
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The linguistic analysis of particular aspects of the structure of one language or a group of closely related languages.
LING-L 499 Honors Project
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Approval of the departmental honors committee
- Notes
- Honors course
- Description
- None
- Repeatability
- May be repeated twice for a maximum of 12 credit hours.
LING-X 471 Undergraduate Teaching Internship in Linguistics
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of department
- Description
- Students assist a faculty member in preparation and/or implementation of an undergraduate Linguistics course. Duties may include developing course materials, assisting with classroom activities and instruction, peer tutoring, and more. Interns do not participate in grading.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
- Grading
- S/F grading.
LING-X 473 Internship in Linguistics
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of department
- Description
- Students work on extracurricular projects in the context of an industrial setting, a non-profit institution, or a laboratory setting. Projects must be related to issues of language structure or use, including research and application.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Grading
- S/F grading.
LING-X 477 Field Experience in Linguistics
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of department
- Description
- Students work on extracurricular projects in the area of language documentation. Projects may be carried out in a language community, in an academic setting, or in the context of a non-profit institution.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Grading
- S/F grading.
LING-X 490 Readings in Linguistics
- Credits
- 1–4 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- R: 12 credit hours of linguistics, or LING-L 103 and advanced work in a foreign language. May not duplicate a regularly offered course
- Description
- Directed reading in various fields of linguistics.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated up to a maximum of 12 credit hours in LING-L 408 and LING-X 490.
- Minor GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- Minor GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the minor—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Minor Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the minor.
- Minor Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Minor Residency. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
Minor Area Courses
Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
LINGsubject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent - Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
- Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
This program of study cannot be combined with the following:
- Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Linguistics (ANTHLNGBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics (LINGBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Anthropology (LINGANTBA)
- Bachelor of Science in Computational Linguistics (COMPLINGBS)
- Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Computational Linguistics (CMLNBSMSBS)
Exceptions to and substitutions for minor requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.