Language is one of the fundamental capacities of the human species, and there are many interesting and meaningful ways in which it can be studied. This course explores the core components of linguistic theory: speech sounds (phonetics and phonology), word formation (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), and meaning (semantics). It also provides an overview of interdisciplinary ideas and research on how language is acquired and processed, its relation to the mind-brain and to society, and the question of whether the essential properties of language can be replicated outside the human mind (specifically, in chimpanzees or computer programs).

There are many ways in which a second language can be learned: from infancy as the child of bilingual parents, or later through formal instruction, immersion in a new culture, or in a particular work or social situation. This class is an inquiry into the processes by which acquisition occurs. Topics include the nature of language learning within the scope of other types of human learning; the relationship between first and second language acquisition; the role of linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural factors; insights gained from analyzing learners' errors; key concepts such as interlanguage and communicative competence; bilingualism; the optimal age for second language acquisition; and a critical appraisal of different theories of second language acquisition.