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2008-09: L336 (4190336) Semantic Theory

Term(s) taught: Spring
Convened by: E Zweig
Credits: 20

Prerequisites:

• L237 (4190237) Formal Semantics

Aims:

The aim of this course is first to deepen and broaden the understanding of formal semantics and to provide an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between natural language data and formal analyses.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of alternative approaches to selected semantic topics
2. Implement these approaches in a formal framework
3. Evaluate analytical literature from both the point of view of empirical coverage and that of theoretical coherence and formal elegance

Contact hours:

Three hours per week.

Teaching programme:

This course will cover topics of central interest in contemporary semantic research, such as: different types of quantification, anaphora, questions, tense and aspect.

The course will involve lectures and seminars which will be a mixture of problem-solving sessions, literature discussion, and student presentations.

Teaching materials:

A course packet will be made available for purchase at the department.

Feedback on formative work:

• Towards the end of term, students will be asked to make brief oral presentations based on their readings; feedback will be provided both on content and presentation skills.
• Oral seminar dialogue, discussion-based; students will be encouraged to bring up issues they are unsure about.
• A discussion forum created on the VLE, allowing students to post questions (anonymously, if they so desire) to be answered within a few days.

Assessment and feedback:

• Assessed exercises to be submitted by week 7 of the spring term (35%)
  Feedback: written comments on these exercises will be provided to the students before the end of term.
• A 2 hour closed examination (65%)
  Feedback: students will be entitled to see their exam paper and comments on it under supervision at a time to be set after week 6 of term 3.

Last Updated: March 11, 2010 | ez506

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