Meaning in Linguistics: Exploring Semantics

In this one-time linguistics course, students will learn about the field of semantics-- the study of meaning. We will examine two theories of meaning that thinkers have proposed: the checklist theory and the prototype theory of meaning. We will use some examples of objects in the real universe such as ducks or sweaters to apply each of the theories. After applying them to some concrete examples, we will critique them and decide which one we think better describes how meaning works in the human mind. The class is Socratic in style, so students should be prepared to engage actively, participating through opinions and examples or explanations.