Historical Linguistics
Code
711131025
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Maria Teresa Brocardo
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To understand the specificity of a diachronic approach of linguistic phenomena.
b) To identify different types of linguistic change.
c) To identify different types of (linguistic and nonlinguistic) conditioning factors related to language change actuation and expansion.
d) To describe specific linguistic changes as observed in Language Histories.
e) To be acquainted with some models of language change, assessing their contributions for a better understanding of language change mechanisms.
f) To characterize different methods used in language change studies.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
This course presents an outline of language change studies, assuming change as a general and inherent characteristic of natural human languages. Historical linguistics seeks to provide an understanding of how languages change over time, hypothesizing on general principles governing those changes, as observed in the contrast of different synchronies, varieties or languages. The covered topics include:
(1) General issues: evidence, types of linguistic change, conditioning factors, change spread. Innovation vs. ´stability´ (or ´conservatism´) and innovation vs. obsolescence.
(2) Language variation, diversity and change some case studies.
(3) Sound change and phonological change; morphological change; syntactic change; semantic change; lexical change.
(4) Language change processes and mechanisms: reanalysis, extension, analogy, grammaticalization.
Bibliography
Hale, Mark. 2007.Historical Linguistics: Theory and Method. Malden and Oxford: Blackwell
Hickey, Raymond (ed.) 2003. Motives for Language Change. Cambridge: CUP
Joseph, Brian D. & Richard D. Janda (eds.) 2003. The Handbook of Historical Linguistics. Cambridge USA / Oxford UK: Blackwell
McMahon, April M. S. 1994. Understanding Language Change. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press
Trask, R. L. 2000. The dictionary of historical and comparative linguistics. London: Routledge
Teaching method
Regular attendance is strongly advised. Class sessions include extensive presentation of course topics, explanation of examples, exercises, discussion of papers, etc.
Evaluation method
1 written test (50%); 1 home-work (20%); 1 in-class presentation of program topic with handout (to be improved after the presentation) (30%).