LIN195H1

Babel: Language in the Mind of Speakers

What is the relation between language and thought? In this course we examine how language is represented in our minds, and how language and cognitive processes interact. While the link between words and meanings is arbitrary and reflects culture, language is considered to be a universal property of our species. We will examine the place of language in the architecture of the mind; the debates about the universality of language structure vs. linguistic relativism; and how language and thought interact in children’s development. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.