What does it mean to be a "formal" program?

[alvie]

Hello. I'm deciding between several M.A. programs right now with the hope of going on to a Ph.D. in neurolinguistics after. I've been told that not all programs are considered "formal linguistics programs," and that it's very important that I go to one that is. What exactly does this mean? How do I tell the difference? I've specifically been told (by the admissions office at a different school) that UC Davis is not considered a formal program and that I would therefore have fewer options when it comes to Ph.D. programs. What is it about Davis that makes it not a formal program?

[hoviariel]

It's not clear at all. UC Davis is accredited, has faculty in formal linguistics (just look at the faculty research), and is found on the Linguistic Society of America's directory of programs.

If I were you I would ask the guy what he actually meant by "formal linguistics programs" cz that statement itself doesn't seem to apply to UC Davis.

[pangur-ban]

Does it refer to formal vs functional approaches to linguistics, rather than being accredited or requiring a black tie?

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

I found some class on "formal linguistics" on the internet (here: http://www.ling.upenn.edu/courses/Fall_2006/ling106/Ling106.htm ) and it goes through set theory; the formal (mathematical) definitions of languages, grammars, alphabets, etc; constructing finite-state automata to prove the regularity of languages; and using the pumping lemma to prove the non-regularity of a language. This is all stuff that I learned in a computer science class called Formal Languages and Automata Theory. I got a linguistics BA with a computer science minor, and nothing like this was ever introduced in my linguistics classes. Perhaps formal linguistics using more mathematical methods of defining linguistic rules. It might also mean that it's not an applied linguistics program, but more theoretical. 

Edited March 19, 2014 by Gnome Chomsky

[snarky]

"Formal" just means that you will get substantial training in modeling language and grammar with precise (usually mathematical) formulas. Most likely they want you to have a sound background in phonological, syntactic and semantic theory.

 

Judging by their "research" page, the UC Davis linguistics program has a pretty strong bias towards non-formal (applied, experimental, typological and sociolinguistic) approaches. They seem to have courses in general linguistics, but they might not be rigorous enough for this other program, or it might not be in the right framework. 

 

FWIW, a lot of neurolinguists don't have training in formal linguistics, so I doubt you'd get this response from all programs.