Language, Generative Grammar, and the Cognitive Revolution (Killian Lecture)

Noam Chomsky · 1:39:32

Building on the introduction to language structure, this lecture delves deeper into generative grammar and the cognitive revolution, exploring the philosophical underpinnings of language acquisition.

Historical Linguistics

Norvin Richards · 1:15:51

Following an understanding of language structure and acquisition, this lecture introduces historical linguistics, explaining how languages evolve and diverge over time through various mechanisms.

Endangered Languages

Norvin Richards · 1:00:01

Expanding on historical linguistics, this step focuses on practical applications, detailing efforts to revitalize endangered languages and reconstruct extinct grammars using historical documentation.

Bernie Sanders and Noam Chomsky: Deciphering Foreign Policy Jargon

Noam Chomsky & Bernie Sanders · 2:08:11

Moving beyond language structure and evolution, this lecture applies linguistic analysis to real-world discourse, examining rhetorical strategies and power dynamics in political language.

Animals in Translation: A Conversation

Diana Reiss · 1:28:56

As a capstone, this lecture extends the principles of decipherment and communication analysis to interspecies communication, exploring criteria for decoding animal communication systems.