Department of Linguistics
The information in parentheses after a course number is the Texas Common Course Numbering (TCCN) designation. Only TCCN designations that are exact semester-hour equivalents of University courses are listed here. Additional TCCN information is given in Appendix A .
American Sign Language: ASL
Lower-Division Courses
ASL 601C. Accelerated First-Year American Sign Language.
Introduction to American Sign Language and its vocabulary and sentence structure. A six-hour course comparable to American Sign Language 506 and 507. Six lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: American Sign Language 601C, 601D, 506. American Sign Language 601C and 507 may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.
ASL 601D. American Sign Language I: Beginning.
This course focuses on the development of beginner-level comprehension and production skills in American Sign Language. Students learn how to attend to visual language and use their hands and body for producing ASL constructions. Elementary vocabulary and grammar is covered, along with information about Deaf culture. Six lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: American Sign Language 601C, 601D, 506. American Sign Language 601D and 507 may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.
ASL 506 (TCCN: SGNL 1501). First-Year American Sign Language I.
Introduction to American Sign Language. Five lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: American Sign Language 601C, 601D, 506. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.
ASL 507 (TCCN: SGNL 1502). First-Year American Sign Language II.
American Sign Language vocabulary and basic sentence structure. Five lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: American Sign Language 601C, 601D, 507. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 506 with a grade of at least C.
ASL 610D. American Sign Language II: Beginning.
Focuses on the development of intermediate-level proficiency in ASL. An introduction to more complex grammatical constructions with the goal of engaging in conversations in ASL on a variety of topics. Examines the historical aspects of the Deaf community and related themes. Six lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: American Sign Language 610D, 611C, 312K. American Sign Language 507 and 610D may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 601D or 507 with a grade of at least C.
ASL 611C. Accelerated Second-Year American Sign Language.
Focuses on developing conversational skills in American Sign Language and introduces American Sign Language literature and folklore. Six lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: American Sign Language 611C, 311D, 312K. American Sign Language 611C and 312L may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 601C, 507, or 610D with a grade of at least C.
ASL 311D. American Sign Language III: Intermediate.
Focuses on maintaining and building upon a student's intermediate ASL skills. Grammar coverage includes complex constructions that involve the signing space, and vocabulary building includes comparisons between English words and ASL signs in order for the learner to make appropriate vocabulary choices in their ASL production. Complex questions facing the contemporary Deaf community are discussed. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. American Sign Language 311D and 312L may not both be counted. American Sign Language 611C and 311D may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 601C, 610D, or 312K with a grade of at least C.
ASL 312K (TCCN: SGNL 2301). Second-Year American Sign Language I.
Development of conversational skills in American Sign Language. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. American Sign Language 611C and 312K may not both be counted. American Sign Language 610D and 312K may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 601C or 507 with a grade of at least C.
ASL 312L (TCCN: SGNL 2302). Second-Year American Sign Language II.
Further development of conversational skills in American Sign Language; introduction to American Sign Language literature and folklore. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. American Sign Language 611C and 312L may not both be counted. American Sign Language 311D and 312L may not both be counted Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 312K with a grade of at least C.
Upper-Division Courses
ASL 320. Advanced American Sign Language Conversation.
Advanced development of conversational skills in American Sign Language, with a focus on sophisticated linguistic structures and important issues in deaf studies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 611C or 312L with a grade of at least C-.
ASL 326. Sign Languages and Signing Communities.
Same as Linguistics 350 (Topic 3: Sign Languages and Signing Communities). Examines the grammar of signed languages, their use in signing communities, and the acquisition of signed languages as first languages. No knowledge of American Sign Language is required. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May not be counted toward fulfillment of the foreign language requirement for any bachelor's degree. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
ASL 336. Introduction to Sign Interpreting.
Introduction to sign interpreting from American Sign Language into English and from English into American Sign Language. Topics include the ethics of interpreting and the problems that arise in interpreting in different social and professional situations. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: American Sign Language 611C, or credit or registration for American Sign Language 312L.
ASL 350. Topics in American Sign Language, Deaf Studies, and Interpreting.
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Additional hours may be required for some topics; these are identified in the Course Schedule. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.
ASL 357. Undergraduate Research.
Supervised research experience. Individual instruction. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and American Sign Language 506 with a grade of at least C-.
Linguistics: LIN
Lower-Division Courses
LIN 306. Introduction to the Study of Language.
Survey of major areas of linguistics: sound systems, grammatical structures, historical development of languages, language families and linguistic universals, dialect differences and their social significance. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
LIN 312. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Language.
An interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary introduction to the manifold aspects of language. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.
LIN 313. Language and Computers.
Natural language processing, including spam filtering, dialogue systems, spelling and grammar correction, forensic linguistics, cryptography, and machine translation. Studies how these systems function, the difficulties in implementing them, and implications of such technologies for society. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Linguistics 312 (Topic: Language and Computers) and 313 may not both be counted.
LIN 119S, 219S, 319S, 419S, 519S, 619S, 719S, 819S, 919S. Topics in Linguistics.
This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Linguistics. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.
Upper-Division Courses
LIN 321L. American English.
Same as English 321L. An overview of the historical development of English in the Americas. Attention to regional, social, and ethnic differences, and their implications for public education. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Nine semester hours of coursework in English or rhetoric and writing.
LIN 322. Gypsy Language and Culture.
Linguistic introduction to Romani; relationship to languages of India; history from 280 BC; modern dialects and international standard language; history and culture as reflected in the language. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Asian Studies 372 (Topic 13: Gypsy Language and Culture); Linguistics 322; Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies 325 (Topic 1: Gypsy Language and Culture).
LIN 323L. English as a World Language.
Same as English 323L. An account of the spread of English around the world; national, social, and regional varieties. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Nine semester hours of coursework in English or rhetoric and writing.
LIN 325. Introduction to the Study of African American English.
Same as African and African Diaspora Studies 320 (Topic 1: Introduction to the Study of African American English). African American English: evolution, contemporary styles, comparison with other ethnic dialects; attitudes toward African American English, effects in education, controversy about dialect differences and intellectual abilities. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
LIN 129S, 229S, 329S, 429S, 529S, 629S, 729S, 829S, 929S. Topics in Linguistics.
This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Linguistics. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.
LIN 340. Automata Theory.
Introduction to the formal study of automata and of related formal languages. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Computer Science 341, 341H, Linguistics 340. Prerequisite: Computer Science 336 or consent of instructor.
LIN 344K. Phonetics: The Production and Perception of Speech Sounds.
Articulation and transcription of speech sounds; distinctive feature systems; physiological and acoustical aspects of phonetics; common phonological processes. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Linguistics 306.
LIN 345. Language Change and Language Variation.
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Linguistics 344K.
LIN 350. Special Topics in the Study of Language.
Nontechnical examination of social, educational, and political problems to which current linguistic knowledge is relevant. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.
Topic 1: Language and the Brain. Same as Communication Sciences and Disorders 350. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 2: Language and Thought. Study of the relation between language and thought, using a cognitive science approach. Examines the words people use and how people think; whether language structure affects thought; and some cognitive aspects of language. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 3: Sign Languages and Signing Communities. Same as American Sign Language 326. Examines the grammar of signed languages, their use in signing communities, and the acquisition of signed languages as first languages. No knowledge of American Sign Language is required. May not be counted toward fulfillment of the foreign language requirement for any bachelor's degree. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 4: Language and People. Areas in language and linguistics that most directly impact people, such as language and ethnicity, language and nation-building, and language politics. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 5: Bilingual Language Acquisition. Examines various aspects of bilingual first language acquisition including phonology, morphology, and syntax, as well as the child's use of his/her languages. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 6: Indigenous Languages of the Americas. Same as Latin American Studies 322 (Topic 15: Indigenous Languages of the Americas). Examines various aspects of languages in the Americas, including their linguistic structures, the cultural domains in which they exist, and their histories of language contact and change. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 9: Psycholinguistics. Examines the psychological mechanisms that people use in learning, comprehending, and producing language. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
LIN 353C. Introduction to Computational Linguistics.
Introduction to key representations and algorithms used in computational linguistics and the main natural language processing applications. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Linguistics 350 (Topic: Introduction to Computational Linguistics) and 353C may not both be counted.
LIN 353N. Natural Language Processing.
Introduces theoretical and applied topics relating to natural language processing, including machine translation, search, automatic summarization, and dialog systems. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Computer Science 378 (Topic: Natural Language Processing), Linguistics 350 (Topic: Natural Language Processing), 353N.
LIN 357. Undergraduate Research.
Supervised research experience. Individual instruction. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and Linguistics 306 with a grade of at least C-.
LIN 358Q. Supervised Research.
Supervised student-initiated research. Individual instruction. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and Linguistics 306 with a grade of at least C-.
LIN 358S. Fundamentals of Speech Science.
Same as Communication Sciences and Disorders 358S. Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the encoding and decoding of speech. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Communication Sciences and Disorders 315S,358S, 396N, Linguistics 315, 358S. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and a University grade point average of at least 2.25; for Communication Sciences and Disorders majors, Communication Sciences and Disorders 313L and 358 with a grade of at least C in each.
LIN 360K. Introduction to English Grammar.
Introduction to the study of the syntactic structure of modern English from the viewpoint of generative grammar. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. English 360K and Linguistics 360K may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
LIN 364M. History of the English Language.
Same as English 364M. Development of sounds, forms, and vocabulary of the English language from its origins to the present. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Nine semester hours of coursework in English or rhetoric and writing.
LIN 372K. Sound Patterns: From Sound to Word.
Methods and principles of analyzing the sound systems of languages. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Linguistics 344K.
LIN 372L. Syntax and Semantics: The Structure and Meaning of Utterances.
Methods and principles of describing the syntactic systems of languages. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and Linguistics 306.
LIN 373. Topics in Linguistics and Related Disciplines.
Introduction to the study of the areas of linguistics that involve other disciplines, such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, mathematical methods in linguistics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.
Topic 1: Child Language. Examination of theory and research concerning the development of language in the child. Linguistics 373 (Topic 1) and Psychology 333P may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 2: Language and Speech in American Society. Same as American Studies 321 (Topic 2: Language and Speech in American Society), Anthropology 325N, and Sociology 352M (Topic 3: Language and Speech in American Society). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, and Anthropology 302, 305, 307, or Linguistics 306.
Topic 3: Language in Culture and Society. Same as Anthropology 325M and Sociology 352M (Topic 4: Language in Culture and Society). Language as a cultural resource; functions of language in society; survey of language communities. Prerequisite: Anthropology 302, 305, 307, or Linguistics 306; or consent of instructor.
Topic 5: Sociolinguistics of German-Speaking Society. Same as Germanic Civilization 327E (Topic 3: Sociolinguistics of German-Speaking Society). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of instructor.
Topic 7: Introduction to Cognitive Science. Same as Cognitive Science 360 (Topic 1: Introduction to Cognitive Science) and Philosophy 365 (Topic 2: Introduction to Cognitive Science). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 8: German and English: Historical Perspectives. Same as Anthropology 320L (Topic 8: German and English: Historical Perspectives), Classical Civilization 348 (Topic 8: German and English: Historical Perspectives), and Germanic Civilization 327E (Topic 9: German and English: Historical Perspectives). Only one of the following may be counted: Anthropology 320L (Topic 8), 320L (Topic 9: The German Language: Historical Perspectives), Classical Civilization 348 (Topic 8), 348 (Topic 9: The German Language: Historical Perspectives), German 369 (Topic 4: The German Language: Historical Perspectives), Germanic Civilization 327E (Topic 9), Linguistics 373 (Topic 8), 373 (Topic 9: The German Language: Historical Perspectives). Prerequisite: For English majors, completion of at least thirty semester hours of coursework, including English 316K or the equivalent; for others, upper-division standing.
Topic 9: The German Language: Historical Perspectives. Same as Anthropology 320L (Topic 9: The German Language: Historical Perspectives), Classical Civilization 348 (Topic 9: The German Language: Historical Perspectives), and German 369 (Topic 4: The German Language: Historical Perspectives). Only one of the following may be counted: Anthropology 320L (Topic 8: German and English: Historical Perspectives), 320L (Topic 9), Classical Civilization 348 (Topic 8: German and English: Historical Perspectives), 348 (Topic 9), German 369 (Topic 4), Germanic Civilization 327E (Topic 9: German and English: Historical Perspectives), Linguistics 373 (Topic 8: German and English: Historical Perspectives), 373 (Topic 9). Prerequisite: Six semester hours of upper-division coursework in German, or fourteen hours of coursework in German and six hours of coursework in linguistics.
LIN 374M. Sociolinguistics.
Same as Anthropology 374M. An in-depth treatment of current interests in sociolinguistic research literature. Subjects include language and gender; social, regional, and ethnic dialects of American English; language use in African American communities; language and identity in a pluralistic society; and language, literacy, and education. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Anthropology 302 or Linguistics 306.
LIN 379. Conference Course in Linguistics.
Supervised individual study of selected problems in linguistics. Conference course. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Six semester hours of upper-division coursework in linguistics.
LIN 679H. Honors Tutorial Course.
Supervised individual reading for one semester, followed by research and writing to produce a substantial paper. Conference course for two semesters. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: For 679HA, admission to the Linguistics Honors Program; for 679HB, Linguistics 679HA.