LINGUIST List 2.708

Fri 25 Oct 1991

FYI: New program, Forthcoming book

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1. , New interdepartmental program
2. "Mimi Klaiman", forthcoming book

Dear colleagues:
We would appreciate it if you brought this announcement to the
attention of interested students:
-David Pesetsky/Ken Wexler
=============================================
The Departments of Brain & Cognitive Sciences and Linguistics
& Philosophy at MIT are inaugurating a new interdepartmental
Ph.D.-level training program in Language: Acquisition and
Computation. This program is made possible by a $1.3 million
Research Training Grant (RTG) from the National Science
Foundation.
BACKGROUND: The study of language has traditionally been pursued
separately as part of linguistics and as part of psychology.
Researchers in both areas have sought to understand how language
works: as a system of knowledge which all human beings hold in
common, as a computational ability, and as a mental structure
subject to development in the child.
Linguistics at MIT has strengths in the traditional fields of
phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The
Language Group in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
focuses on developmental and computational psycholinguistics,
including processing. This new program represents the
realization that frontline work in these areas increasingly
requires more than individual strengths. The separate fields
have matured to a point where researchers must begin combining
the results and methods that have been developed separately into
an integrated picture of linguistic knowledge and language use.
The Research Training Group funded under this new program will be
dedicated to the formation of new scientists for whom links
between linguistics and psycholinguistics will be second nature,
for whom research of the sort fostered by this program will no
longer count as interdisciplinary.
NATURE OF THE PROGRAM: Students in the program must first be
admitted to graduate study in either the Cognitive Science
Program of the Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) or the
Linguistics Program of the Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy
(L&P). Students will complete all the normal requirements of the
relevant department, but will have five years instead of the
usual four to complete these requirements. In addition, they
will complete a substantial amount of coursework and research
training in the other department, as well as a special seminar
for program participants. Research will be guided by the faculty
of both departments. Students who complete this program will
have substantial professional competence in both linguistics and
psycholinguistics. They will thus be poised to take full
advantage of the new directions our fields will follow in the
years to come.
ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM: Applications for graduate study at MIT
may be requested from the Graduate Admissions Office, 3-103 MIT,
Cambridge, MA 02139 (USA). Students should apply for the Ph.D.
program in Cognitive Science (BCS) or in Linguistics (L&P).
Students interested in the RTG program should indicate this
explicitly in their application, and should explain their
interest as part of their personal statement.
1992 ADMISSIONS ONLY: If you have already mailed your application
to one of the two programs at MIT, but now wish to be considered
for the RTG as well, send a letter explaining your interest to
the relevant department(s). It will be added to your admissions
file.
Information about the Departmental graduate programs, Faculty
research interests, and the RTG Program may be obtained from:
Graduate Admissions Graduate Admissions
Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Dept. of Linguistics and
 Sciences Philosophy
E25-406 MIT 20D-213 MIT
Cambridge, MA 02139 Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 253-5742 (617) 253-4141
Questions about the RTG should be addressed to the co-directors
of the program:
Prof. Kenneth Wexler Prof. David Pesetsky
E10-020 MIT 20D-219 MIT
Cambridge, MA 02139 Cambridge, MA 02139
wexlerpsyche.mit.edu pesetskathena.mit.edu
 FACULTY PARTICIPANTS IN THE RTG PROGRAM
Robert C. Berwick (BCS) Michael Kenstowicz (L&P)
Susan Carey (BCS) Samuel Jay Keyser (L&P)
Noam Chomsky (L&P) Maryellen MacDonald (BCS)
Kenneth Hale (L&P) Alec Marantz (L&P)
Morris Halle (L&P) Wayne O'Neil (L&P)
James Harris (L&P) David Pesetsky (L&P)
Irene Heim (L&P) Steven Pinker (BCS)
James Higginbotham (L&P) Mary Potter (BCS)
Michael I. Jordan (BCS) Kenneth Wexler (BCS and L&P)

I have had many inquiries about my forthcoming book
Grammatical Voice. If I may be permitted to use the
listserve for the purpose, I wish to inform all inter-
ested persons that currently, the work is due out in
time for display at the winter LSA meeting, 9-11 January,
1992, in Philadelphia; it will probably appear some 6 weeks
sooner in the UK; publisher is Cambridge UP; and the
projected prices are 42.50 pounds and $64.95.
M.H. Klaiman