17345

SoSe 20: PS-History of English: From Synthetic to Analytic

Martin Konvicka

Comments

In this course, you will get familiar with earlier stages of English and with the various language change processes that shaped English in its present-day form. In particular, we will focus on the shift from synthetic to analytic language type. Old English, the earliest attested stage of English, was a highly synthetic language which means that it relied on complex morphology to express the various grammatical functions. Modern English, on the other hand, is much more analytic. Instead of morphology, it uses auxiliaries and word order to achieve the same.

Apart from our focus on this typological shift, we will also survey a number of other changes in phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. We will read and analyse primary texts from different stages of English. Furthermore, our investigation of the history of the English language will also at times include a comparative aspect. This means that we will contrast the developments in English with the developments in other Germanic languages, mainly German and Dutch.

Against this background, the aim of this is course is threefold. First, to provide you with an overview of the internal as well as the external history of the English language. Second, to familiarise you with the basic concepts of historical linguistics. Third, to demonstrate how the knowledge of the linguistic history of a language can be beneficial for understanding its current structure.

No corona crisis is going to stop you from learning about historical linguistics! This course is going to take place in a digital form and combine both online and offline methods. The centrepiece of the course will be weekly video conferences of about 20-30 minutes. These conferences will be used as a platform to discuss and analyse primary texts.

In order to have a fruitful discussion, you will be asked to do the following prior to the video conference itself: i) read a secondary text, ii) watch a video, iii) prepare the analysis of the primary text. After the video conference, you will be asked to complete a short test to related to the topic of the online session.

All materials (texts, videos, links) will be made available to you via Blackboard. During the first online session, we will discuss all the technical and organisational details. If you, for whatever reason, cannot participate, please contact me.

Requirements

Offline

Reading preparatory texts
Watching preparatory videos
Analysing primary texts

Online

Participating in a video conference
Brief online tests
Individual
Final term paper (or an equivalent thereof)