Cognitive Science of Language

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Cognitive Science of Language

Based in the Department of Linguistics and Languages, the graduate program (M.Sc.; Ph.D.) in the Cognitive Science of Language is interdisciplinary and includes faculty from Humanities, Science, and Health Sciences. The program has a strong research orientation and has expertise in the areas of Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Sociolinguistics, Neurolinguistics, Forensic Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics, and Psycholinguistics. The breadth of faculty research areas provides a rich environment for graduate training. The graduate program introduces students to the issues in those fields that form the nexus of cognitive science, linguistics, and languages and trains them in the research methods employed to study them. Our graduate programs provide flexibility so that students can optimize their studies around their own areas of interest.

Enquiries: 905-525-9140 Ext. 24388
Fax: 905-577-6930
E-mail: cslgrad@mcmaster.ca
Website: http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~linguistics/

Faculty/Fall 2013

Professors

John J. Colarusso, B.A. (Cornell), M.A. (Northwestern), Ph.D.(Harvard)
John F. Connolly, A.B. (College of the Holy Cross), M.A.(Saskatchewan), Ph.D. (London)
Magda Stroinska, M.A. (Warsaw), Ph.D. (Edinburgh)

Associate Professor

Anna L. Moro, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto)
Elisabet Service, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Helsinki)

Assistant Professors

Catherine Anderson, B.A. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Northwestern)
Ivona Kucerova, M.A. (Charles University, Prague), Ph.D. (MIT)
Victor Kuperman, B.A., M.A. (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Ph.D. (Nijmegen)

Associate Members

Richard Arthur (Philosophy)
Sue Becker (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)
Steven Brown (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)
David Feinberg (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)
Faiza Hirji (Communication Studies and Multimedia)
Karin Humphreys (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)
Michael Kliffer (French)
Graham Knight (Communication Studies and Multimedia)
Victor Satzewich (Sociology)
Michael Schutz (School of the Arts)
David Shore (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)
Peter Szatmari (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)
Laurel Trainor (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour)

Adjunct Member

Veena Dwivedi (Applied Linguistics, Brock University)

Fields of Study in the Graduate Program

The M.Sc./Ph.D. program in the Cognitive Science of Language comprises the following fields:

Computational Linguistics and Cognition

This field will focus on computational modeling of human linguistic competence and performance, as well as cognitive modeling of multi-modal human-computer interaction (i.e., textual, visual and auditory). It will also focus on the cognitive measurement of information visualization.

Cognitive Sociolinguistics

This field examines cognitive aspects of language varieties and use in diverse social contexts. Using methods from varied theoretical frameworks, it investigates pragmatic and sociocultural phenomena, including bilingual education/upbringing of children, second language learning, first and second language attrition, contact languages, pidgins and creoles. In addition, cognitive aspects of the use of language for persuasion advertising, propaganda and politics are also studied.

Psycholinguistics, Neurolinguistics and Clinical Linguistics

This field looks at how language is represented and processed, from both a functional and neurobiological perspective. It includes three broad areas: how language is comprehended, produced and acquired. This encompasses the study of these aspects of language in all age groups, from infants to older adults, in both first and second languages. It also looks at cases of both normal and impaired language, the latter including developmental disorders and those acquired through strokes or other brain injuries. This field includes research into language therapies.

Programs

• Cognitive Science of Language, M.Sc.

• Cognitive Science of Language, Ph.D

• Cognitive Science of Language Courses

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