Spring 2022 - LING 324 D100

Semantics (3)

Class Number: 2231

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 10 – Apr 11, 2022: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Nancy Hedberg
    hedberg@sfu.ca
    1 778 782-3554
    Office Hours: Regular office hours will be held on Zoom.
  • Prerequisites:

    LING 282W; or LING 222 and any lower division W course.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Basic formal aspects of meaning (e.g. compositional semantics, truth conditional semantics and quantification in natural language) and how they are distinguished from pragmatic aspects of meaning. Quantitative.

COURSE DETAILS:

People use sentences to mean things: to convey information about themselves and about states of affairs in the world. This class introduces the study of how meaning is encoded and expressed in natural language. We will examine basic concepts in the study of formal aspects of meaning, e.g. compositional semantics, truth-conditional semantics and quantification in natural language. Basic formal tools and techniques in doing semantic analysis will be studied, supplemented by rigorous problem-solving exercises. We will also discuss how formal aspects of meaning are distinguished from the pragmatic aspects of meaning: e.g., contextual dependence of meaning and conversational implicature.

This course will be blended in person and asynchronous.  Lectures and videos will be availably asynchronously  for a minimum of one hour per week with linked Canvas comprehension practice exercise, along with other on-line support materials, and there will also be a two-hour in-person class each week dedicated to practical challenge problem solving and small group research projects and in-person discussion of concepts and readings.

Grading

  • 12 Reading/lecture comprehension exercises [individual] At Home/Canvas 24%
  • 9 Challenge Problems/discussion [groups of 1-4] In person 36%
  • 2 Discourse semantic annotation mini-papers [groups of 1-4] At Home/Canvas 16%
  • 2 Mini-papers presentations [group of 1-4] In person 6%
  • 3 Short-answer/short essay Exams [individual] At Home/Canvas 18%

NOTES:

It is strongly recommended that you see the Student Advisor regarding your degree requirements at least two semesters before you plan to graduate. Unless you meet both faculty and major/minor requirements, your graduation cannot be approved.

Students should familiarize themselves with the Department's Standards on Class Management and Student Responsibilities at http://www.sfu.ca/linguistics/undergraduate/standards.html.

Please note that a grade of “FD” (Failed-Dishonesty) may be assigned as a penalty for academic dishonesty.

DEPARTMENTAL NOTES:

Enrollment restrictions in LING 300 and 400 level courses: 70-75% of the seats are reserved for declared LING/COGS Major, Joint Major, and Honours program student and 25-30% for Extended Minor program students only until open enrollment begins on Nov 29 2021.  

All student requests for accommodations for their religious practices must be made in writing by the end of the first week of classes or no later than one week after a student adds a course.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Tech Required: Computer, Microphone (for office hours)

REQUIRED READING:

Altschuler, Daniel, Terence Parsons, and Roger Schwarzschild, 2010. A Course in Semantics. The MIT Press. ($56.41) https://www.amazon.ca/Course-Semantics-Daniel-Altshuler/dp/0262042770/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=A+course+in+semantics&qid=1632458624&sr=8-1


ISBN: 9780262042772

Additional readings and on-line resources will be provided on Canvas. 


Department Undergraduate Notes:

Students should familiarize themselves with the Department's Standards on Class Management and Student Responsibilities.

Please note that a grade of “FD” (Failed-Dishonesty) may be assigned as a penalty for academic dishonesty.

All student requests for accommodations for their religious practices must be made in writing by the end of the first week of classes or no later than one week after a student adds a course.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SPRING 2022

Teaching at SFU in spring 2022 will involve primarily in-person instruction, with safety plans in place.  Some courses will still be offered through remote methods, and if so, this will be clearly identified in the schedule of classes.  You will also know at enrollment whether remote course components will be “live” (synchronous) or at your own pace (asynchronous).

Enrolling in a course acknowledges that you are able to attend in whatever format is required.  You should not enroll in a course that is in-person if you are not able to return to campus, and should be aware that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations, including in the context of remote learning, are advised to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as early as possible in order to prepare for the spring 2022 term.