Bachelor 2025/2026

Towards Language Universals through Lexical Semantics: Introduction to Lexical and Semantic Typology

Type: Elective course (Fundamental and Computational Linguistics)

Delivered by: School of Linguistics

When: 4 year, 3 module

Online hours: 20

Open to: students of all HSE University campuses

Language: English

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is designed for students of linguistic programs (BA, MA, PhD), as well as for teachers and researchers in the named field. The course contains the overview of different approaches to the semantic description of lexical items and lexical systems in different languages and discusses the methodology of Moscow Lexical Typology Group (lecture 1). This methodology (“frame approach”) is illustrated with the data of the following domains: aquamotion verbs (lecture 2), verbs of falling (lecture 3), adjectives denoting oldness (lecture 4) and pain metaphors (lecture 5 and 6). The results of the analyses are visualized with specially constructed lexical semantic maps.