The bulk of Dr. Rivas´s research has been in the field of syntax, mainly on the study of grammatical relations, complementation, word order, and discourse markers. Most of his work focuses on syntactic variation, syntactic change, and grammaticalization. Dr, Rivas approaches language from a functionalist perspective, according to which grammar is motivated by discourse and cognitive patterns (information flow, iconicity, and economy). Grammatical patterns are the result of highly conventionalized discourse patterns that arise in local contexts of use. In this process of conventionalization, frequency plays a major role. As a result of his approach, Dr. Rivas´s studies are corpus-based and make use of both qualitative and quantitative methods.
keywords
usage-based grammar, morphosyntactic variation and change, Hispanic linguistics
SPAN 1020 - Beginning Spanish 2
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2023
Continuation of SPAN 1010. Department enforced prerequisite: SPAN 1010 (min. grade C-). Degree credit not granted for this course and SPAN 1150.
SPAN 2110 - Second-Year Spanish 1
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2018 / Summer 2019 / Summer 2022 / Summer 2024
Grammar review. Emphasizes reading, writing, and speaking skills. Department enforced prerequisite: SPAN 1020 (min. grade C-). Degree credit not granted for this course and SPAN 2150.
SPAN 3050 - Spanish Phonology and Phonetics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Summer 2021 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Designed to teach some of the methods, techniques, and tools of descriptive linguistics as they apply to articulatory phonetics. Students analyze important contrasts between sounds of Spanish and English bymeans of phonetic transcription.
SPAN 3120 - Advanced Spanish Grammar
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Develops a deeper understanding of grammatical features of Spanish. Advancement of Spanish language skills and development of metalinguistic awareness is achieved through examination of grammar usage in both texts and spontaneous speech productions within communities.
SPAN 3150 - Linguistic Analysis of Spanish
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Introduces students to fundamental areas of linguistic analysis with special attention paid to Spanish (and Portuguese). The structural systems of language will be introduced (principles of sound patterns, word formation, meaning, and sentence structure). Different types of language variation will be discussed (historical, social, regional).
SPAN 4215 - Spanish in the United States
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Summer 2020 / Fall 2024
Describes the linguistic characteristics of U.S. Spanish, Spanish-English bilingualism and direct contact, including the study of borrowing, code switching, phonological and grammatical convergence, leveling, accommodation and attrition, among other linguistic phenomena. Discusses the relationships between language and identity, as well as the role of Spanish in U.S. education, media and social institutions.
SPAN 4450 - Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Spring 2021
Introduces students to the main areas of inquiry within the field of Hispanic linguistics. Topics to be covered include speech and language, phonetics and phonology, morphology and syntax, semantics, linguistic change and variation and Spanish spoken in the United States. Same as SPAN 5450.
SPAN 5430 - Seminar: Hispanic Linguistics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Studies a major topic from an area such as phonology, syntax, history of the Spanish language, Hispanic linguistics and literature, or applied Hispanic linguistics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as SPAN 7430.
SPAN 5440 - Seminar: Trends in Hispanic Linguistics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2023
Provides an overview of major trends and issues in Hispanic linguistics, including phonology, syntax, dialectology, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, text linguistics, semiotics, history of the Spanish language, language acquisition and applied linguistics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as SPAN 7440.
SPAN 7430 - Seminar: Hispanic Linguistics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Studies a major topic from an area such as phonology, syntax, history of the Spanish language, Hispanic linguistics and literature, or applied Hispanic linguistics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as SPAN 5430.
SPAN 7440 - Seminar: Trends in Hispanic Linguistics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2023
Provides an overview of major trends and issues in Hispanic linguistics, including phonology, syntax, dialectology, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, text linguistics, semiotics, history of the Spanish language, language acquisition and applied linguistics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as SPAN 5440.
