Introduction to formal linguistics

Diarienummer GU 2025/1965

All readings (chapters and extracts) will be provided during the course

Extracts from the following will be provided as primary or supplemental reading during the course:

Main texts:

Jurafsky, D. and Martin, J.H., 2009. Speech and language processing: an introduction to natural language processing, computational linguistics, and speech recognition. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 2nd ed edition.

Jurafsky, D. and Martin, J.H., 2025. Speech and language processing: an introduction to natural language processing, computational linguistics, and speech recognition. Online:

https://web.stanford.edu/\~jurafsky/slp3/

Yule, G., 2016. The study of language. Cambridge university press. GU University library: Online book

O’Grady et al. Contemporary Linguistics – An Introduction. Longman.

Will H. Moore and David A. Siegel, 2013, A mathematics course for political and social research, 1st edition.
Available online through the university library

Gregory, H. (2015). Language and logics: An introduction to the logical foundations of language. Edinburgh University Press.

L. T. F. Gamut: Logic, Language, and Meaning, Volumes 1, 2. University of Chicago Press (1990)

USEFUL LITERATURE

The following are texts that you can consult for various parts of the course. The actual readings (chapters and extracts) will be provided with each lecture.

General

1. Allen, J., 1995. Natural language understanding. Pearson. Vancouver

2. Bird, S., Klein, E. and Loper, E., 2009. Natural language processing with Python: analyzing text with the natural language toolkit. O'Reilly Media, Inc. Available at http://www.nltk.org/book

3. Jurafsky, D. and Martin, J.H., 2009. Speech and language processing: an introduction to natural language processing, computational linguistics, and speech recognition. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 2nd ed edition.

4. Payne, T., 2006. Exploring language structure: a student's guide. Cambridge University Press. GU Library: Online book

5. Yule, G., 2016. The study of language. Cambridge university press. GU University library: Online book

6. Fromkin, V., Rodman, R. and Hyams, N., 2013. An introduction to language. Cengage Learning. In the GU library. This is a very accessible and fun introduction to linguistics with cartoons!

7. Pinker Steven, 1994. The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language. William Morrow and Company.

8. Kracht Marcus, Introduction to Linguistics, UCLA. An excellent book (online) that serves as a concise (<200 pg.), easy to read and at the same time as a very deep introduction to linguistics, starting from semiotics, going through phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax to semantics, closing by history and typology of languages.

9. Will H. Moore and David A. Siegel, 2013, A mathematics course for political and social research, 1st edition.
Available online through the university library

Phonetics and Phonology

Zsiga, E. C. (2012). The sounds of language: An introduction to phonetics and phonology. Chicester: Wiley. Chapter 1-4, 6, 9-12.

International Phonetic Association (1999) Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A guide to the use of the international phonetic alphabet. Cambridge University Press, New York. p.37

Jurafsky & Martin (2009) An Introduction to Natural Language Processing, Computational Linguistics, and Speech Recognition, Second Edition. Chapter 7.

Syntax

1. Carnie, A., 2007. Syntax: a generative introduction, volume 4. Blackwell Pub., Malden, MA, 2nd ed edition. (especially chapters 2, 3 and 10)

2. Carnie, A., 2011. Modern Syntax: A Coursebook, Cambridge University Press. An introductory book in syntax.

3. Tallerman, M., 2011. Understanding syntax. Understanding language series. Hodder Arnold, London, 3rd edition.

4. Yule, G. 2016. The study of language. Cambridge University Press. (especially chapter 8 Phrases and sentences: grammar, chapter 9 Syntax) GU university library: Online book

5. Chapters 12, 15 and 16 of Jurafsky and Martin (2009), chapters 8 and 9 from Bird et al. (2009) and Allen (1994).

Morphology

Bauer, Laurie. Introducing Linguistic Morphology. Edinburgh University Press, 1988. Chapter 2, pages 7-17.

Thomas E Payne, Exploring Language Structure Chapters 1-2.

O’Grady et al. Contemporary Linguistics – An Introduction. Longman. Chapters 4 and 17, pages 671-675.

Semantics

1. L. T. F. Gamut: Logic, Language, and Meaning, Volume 1: Introduction to Logic, University of Chicago Press (1990)

2. Gennaro Chierchia and Sally McConnell-Ginet (2000) Meaning and Grammar: An Introduction to Semantics (second edition), MIT Press, Chapters 1-3. Available online through the library

3. Allwood, J., Andersson, L.G and Dahl, O., 1977. Logic in linguistics. Cambridge University Press. (especially chapters 4,5,6) Available online from the University library. Log in with your student account for access.

4. Bird et al. (2009) chapter 10, sections 1,2,3.

5. Yoad Winter, 2016. Elements of Formal Semantics: An Introduction to the Mathematical Theory of Meaning in Natural Language. Edinburgh University Press. Chapters 1-3 (open access ). A very good book for those students who are interested in semantics.

**NOTE: **This is the core literature to find information about the topics mentioned in the course. Additional references are to be given for each individual lecture whenever needed. The reading will be listed in the slides for each lecture.