ASSIGNMENTS

You are expected to keep up with the reading assignments (detailed below). Written assignments will be announced throughout the semester. Note, again, that NO LATE assignments will be accepted.

READINGS

The following is a list of readings on reserve at Hill Library (5th floor, Calhoun Hall), which is open during business hours. Required readings are also available on reserve at the PCL. (Some of the optional articles can only be found at Hill Library.) Ideally, you will read the material for a given week before that week begins. Bibliographic references are given for the editions I found, but any edition will do.

WEEK 1: Introduction

• Card, Orson Scott. 1990. "Language" In How to write science fiction and fantasy, pp. 53-57.
• Sprague DeCamp, L. 1975. Excerpts from Science fiction handbook, revised.

WEEKS 2-3: Human(oid) Languages

No reading assignment. Be sure to check out the Klingon institute, and other Klingon web sites.

Weeks 4-5: Past & Future Earth Languages

A few different views of the future of human language(s):

• Sprague deCamp, L. 1940. The Wheels of If [Any edition]
• Sprague deCamp, L. "Language for time travelers" Astounding science fiction(July 1938), pp. 63-72.
• Lem, Stanislaw. 1981. Excerpt from "Extelopedia" from Imaginary Magnitude(English translation 1984 by Marc E. Heine). Mandarin Paperbacks, 1991.
• Butler, Octavia. 1986. "Speech sounds" (Anthologized in 1995 collection Bloodchild and other stories New York/London: Four Walls Eight Windows, pp. 87-108.

A few articles about inventing new words:

• Niven, Larry. 1976. "The words in science fiction" in Reginald Bretnor (Ed.) The craft of science fiction. Harper & Row, pp. 178-93.
• Stableford, Brian. 1989. "The language of science fiction" in The way to write science fiction. London: Elm Tree Books, pp. 50-58.
• Anderson, Poul. 1976. "Nomenclature in science fiction" in Science Fiction Writers of America. Writing and selling science fiction. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Press, pp.77-88.

Week 6: Artificial/Constructed Languages:

• Readings on the web: refer to the artificial language page.
• (OPTIONAL) Schuyler, William M., Jr. 1982. "Could anyone here speak Babel-17?" in Nicholas D. Smith (Ed.) Philosophers look at science fiction. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, pp. 87-95.

Week 7: Speaking Machines and Animals

• Reading assignments on the web: refer to the thinking/speaking machines page.
• LeGuin, Ursula K. 1974. "The author of the acacia seeds..." (Anthologized in Robert Silverberg & Martin H. Greenberg (Eds.)1983. Great tales of science fiction. New York: Galahad Books, 513-8.)

Week 8: Talking to aliens -- cracking the code

• Piper, H. Beam. "Omnilingual" (many editions exist; approx. 45 pp.)
• Elgin, Suzette Haden. 1972. "Modulation in all things" in At the seventh levelNew York: Daw Books, 127-42.
• (OPTIONAL) Lehmann, W.P. "Decoding of the Martian language"The graduate journal University of Texas at Austin, pp. 265-72.

Week 9: Language Learning/Pedagogy

• Shipman, G.R. "How to talk to a Martian." Astounding science fiction(Oct. 1953), pp. 112-120.
• Hockett, C.F. "How to learn Martian." Astounding science fiction (May 1955), pp. 97-106.
• Gallun, Raymund Z. 1934. "Old Faithful" (various editions; approximately 30 pp.)

Weeks 10-11: Language and world view

• Niven, Larry. "Grammar Lesson" Cosmos (May 1977), pp. 22-3.
• Barnes, M.J. 1978. "The language of thought control" in The language of science fiction and fantasy, pp. 140-65.
• (OPTIONAL) Rorty, Richard. "Persons without minds" in Philosophy and the mirror of nature, pp. 70-127.

Weeks 12-13: "Real" alien systems of communication

Refer to the SETI page for the written assignment.

• Leiber, Fritz. "Extraterrestrial translation" Galileo, pp. 18-22.
• Rucker, Rudy. 1991. Essay on SETI, published with Steven Leigh's Alien tongue New York: Bantam Books, pp. 314-27.
• Sefler, George F. 1982. "Alternative linguistic frameworks: communications with extraterrestrial beings" in Nicholas D. Smith (Ed.) Philosophers look at science fiction. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, pp. 67-74.
• Barker, Peter. 1982. "Omnilinguals" in Nicholas D. Smith (Ed.) Philosophers look at science fiction. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, pp.74-85.
• (OPTIONAL) Mercer, Derwent. "Alien communication" The listener (BBC Review) Jan. 7, 1965, pp. 13-15.
• (OPTIONAL) Lapp, Ralph E. "How to talk to people, if any, on other planets" Harper's (March 1961), pp. 58-63.

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