LEL2D: Cross-linguistic variation: Limits and Theories

This course is part of the pre-Honours sequence in all LEL single Honours degrees, as well as of some joint degrees (in addition to being available as an outside course). Its main aim is to familiarize students with the study of linguistic diversity and the relationship between language typology and theory-building. In ²⁰¹⁴⁄₂₀₁₅, I am responsible for the entire phonology block. We cover the following topics:

• Phonological typology and theory. Universals in phonology; descriptive and analytic universals
• Universals of inventory organization; feature theory
• Syllable structure. Typology of syllable structures
• Optimality Theory and its application to syllable structure typology
• Government Phonology; restrictiveness in theory-building
• Stress; metrical typology; metrical typology in OT
• Tone and its typology; austosegmental phonology.

Course materials are available on Learn.

See LASC08020 on DRPS.