WiSe 17/18: PS-Historical Linguistics : History of English II
Martin Konvicka
Comments
In this course, we will accompany Ænglisc, a Germanic dialect spoken in parts of England, on its way to becoming English, a global lingua franca. We will survey the changes in phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics on the one hand as well as the broader societal changes on the other. Concrete case studies will be expanded by discussions of their theoretical implications. Furthermore, our investigation of the history of the English language will also include a comparative perspective. To properly understand the history of English, we will contrast it with the situation in other Germanic languages such as Swedish, German or Dutch.
The aim of this is course is twofold. Firstly, to provide an overview of the history of the English language. Secondly, to familiarise the students with the principles of historical linguistics.
Students who, for any reason, cannot attend the first class are kindly asked to contact me in advance.
Requirements: regular and active attendance, regular reading assignments, oral presentation, term paper
close16 Class schedule
Regular appointments