Linguistics

Linguistics at Harvard is counted among the humanities. Much research in linguistics, however, lies in the area of linguistic theory, which seeks to develop a theory of language that accounts for interlanguage variation while uncovering the general laws and principles that govern all languages. Such work resembles research in the social and behavioral sciences. Recently, advances in biology and neuroscience have led to the emergence of a kind of linguistic scholarship that closely parallels research in the life sciences. Thanks to its unique field--and methodology--straddling quality, Linguistics is able to offer three distinctively contoured secondary field pathways.

REQUIREMENTS
5 half-courses

Language History and Language Structure

The pathway in Language History and Language Structure is designed for students whose curiosity about linguistics is an outgrowth of their interest in specific languages or their love of languages in general. Such students may also have considered concentrating or taking courses in an ancient or modern language field (Classics, Romance, Slavic, Near Eastern Languages, East Asian Languages, etc.); or they may simply be looking for ways to learn more about the history and structure of English.

1. Two foundational courses, consisting of
1. Linguistics 110 or Social Analysis 34.
2. Linguistics 83 or Freshman Seminar 34x.
2. Three more advanced courses, chosen from among the following groups
1. Linguistics 117r, Linguistics 120, or Linguistics 122. -or-
2. Any more specialized course in historical linguistics, e.g., Linguistics 168, Greek 134, Linguistics 176. -or-
3. Any more specialized course in descriptive linguistics, e.g., Linguistics 171, Linguistics 174, or Slavic 126a.

Language and Linguistic Theory

The pathway in Language and Linguistic Theory is designed for students whose love of languages (with a final -s) is less important to them than their love of Language (with a capital L). Such students may have been attracted to linguistics from a variety of fields-a foreign language, English, anthropology, mathematics, computer science, even physics. What unites them is an interest in the common formal and representational system that underlies all human languages.

1. Two foundational courses, consisting of
1. Linguistics 110 or Social Analysis 34.
2. Linguistics 83, Linguistics 88, Freshman Seminar 34x, or Freshman Seminar 39x.
2. Three more advanced courses, chosen from among the following groups
1. Linguistics112a, Linguistics 114, Linguistics 115, and Linguistics 116. -or-
2. Any more advanced course in syntax, morphology, phonetics/phonology or semantics.

Language, Mind and Brain

The pathway in Language, Mind and Brain was created for students with an interest in the areas of inquiry addressed by Harvard's Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative. Such students will be less interested in language-particular facts than those in the other two groups; they will be correspondingly more interested in the evolution of language, the linguistic abilities of non-human primates, the mechanisms used by the brain to access and store linguistic information, and similar questions.

1. Two foundational courses, consisting of
1. Linguistics 110 or Social Analysis 34.
2. Linguistics 88 or Freshman Seminar 39x.
2. Three more advanced courses, chosen from among the following groups
1. Linguistics 112a, Linguistics 130, Linguistics 146, and Linguistics 188r. -or-
2. Any other course countable toward the elective requirement of the MBB track in Linguistics, e.g., Computer Science 187, Psychology 1671, Philosophy 147.

OTHER INFORMATION

1. Summer School/Study Abroad: Subject to the Head Tutor's approval, linguistics summer school courses and linguistics study abroad courses will be allowed to count towards the secondary field requirements.
2. Pass/Fail: One course may be taken Pass/Fail towards the course requirements; this may be, but need not be, one of the two designated Freshman Seminars.

ADVISING RESOURCES AND EXPECTATIONS

The primary adviser and contact person for the secondary fields in Linguistics will be the Head Tutor, Professor Genarro Chierchia ( 617-495-8181; chierch@fas.harvard.edu).