175-435 Advanced Studies in Meaning

Formerly available as 175-037/335. Students who have completed 175-037 or 175-335 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

37.5 points of second/third-year Linguistics and Applied Linguistics subjects.

This subject is an introduction to one or more advanced theories of linguistic meaning, taken from the related areas of semantics and pragmatics. The specific topic to be covered will depend on who is teaching the subject in a particular year. Examples of topics which might be covered include: the way in which speakers use contextual information to interpret meaning in context; the interplay between semantics and pragmatics; semantic change; lexical semantics; or formal semantic theory. In each case a range of current issues in the theory of meaning will be considered and students will acquire skills in analysis and description within this theory. In 2006 the focus will be on formal approaches to theories of meaning.

• develop their skills in critical thinking and analysis;

• develop skills in written communication.

For 3rd year students, 3000 words of assignments 75% (due at regular intervals during the semester) and a 1000-word examination 25% (at the end of semester). For 4th year students, 3000 words of assignments 60% (due at regular intervals during the semester), a 1000-word examination 20% (at the end of semester) and a 1000-word essay or project 20% (due at the end of semester).

• P Porter, What is Meaning?: fundamentals of formal semantics. Blackwell 2005.