Seminar in Linguistics (400-0-21)

Topic

Alternatives in linguistic meaning

Instructors

Eszter Eva Ronai
2016 Sheridan Road
Office Hours: By appt

Meeting Info

Cresap Laboratory 101: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

This is an advanced seminar in pragmatics, with a focus on the role of alternatives in semantic/pragmatic meaning computation and processing -- a topic that is at the forefront of experimental pragmatics research today. Our empirical cases studies will revolve around scalar implicature and semantic focus. We will discuss foundational theoretical papers as well as state-of-the-art experimental work. Specific topics will include: 1) what can be an alternative in scalar implicature calculation (role of context, symmetry problem), 2) alternatives in different theoretical treatments of implicature (neo-Gricean vs. grammatical), 3) the non-uniformity of implicature calculation and the role of alternatives therein, 4) parallels between implicature and focus, 5) the psycholinguistic activation of alternatives in implicature and focus, 6) different cues to focus and their interactions in a cross-linguistic context.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students should: 1. have familiarity with foundational theoretical work on scalar implicature/focus, 2. have familiarity with present day debates and experimental findings on these two phenomena, and 3. be able to identify gaps in current research and start to think about experimental proposals to address those gaps.

Teaching Method

Discussion

Evaluation Method

Attendance, reading, involvement in discussion

Class Materials (Required)

All course materials will be available online.

Class Materials (Suggested)

N/A