The course addresses basic questions concerning language and mind, such as whether humans are born equipped with “language acquisition device”, how children learn language, and whether language is unique to humans. These issues are investigated through animal communication, language acquisition, the language of adults, speech errors, and aphasia, as well as various theories, hypotheses, and speculation.
lectures, discussions, and student presentations
class participation and a short research paper
The Articulate Mammal: An Introduction to Psycholinguistics (Routledge Classics) by Jean Aitchison. 2011, Routledge. ISBN: 0415610184 or 9780415610186.