Description and contextualization of the subject

The course Fundamentals of Historical and Comparative Linguistics provides the basis for understanding the evolution and change that natural languages undergo over time, as well as for interpreting the restrictions that act on linguistic variety in the establishment of genetically related language families. This is a central subject in linguistics studies, which began in the early 19th century and continues today with renewed techniques and methods. The subject has close connections with the fundamental subjects of phonology and morphology as well as with syntax and typology, since the historical or diachronic perspective of this discipline complements the synchronic description of the former.

Learning outcomes of the subject

Ability to understand the general aspects of the evolution of natural languages and the establishment of linguistic families within linguistic diversity.

Ability to identify and provide evidence for or against basic hypotheses in the field of linguistic change and linguistic comparison from the empirical material preserved in the different components of languages (phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon).

To be able to understand and use the methodology of the fundamental theoretical proposals on the evolution of natural languages and their genetic relationships.

To be able to write critical reviews of articles related to the topics covered in the course and to give answers to central problems raised by linguistic change and language classification.

To be able to understand and use the most common specific terminology in the field of historical and comparative linguistics.

Ordinary call: orientations and renunciation

Attendance to the course is mandatory. The student must follow the theoretical course as well as elaborate and present the practices that are requested.

Whoever misses any of the sessions must read and summarize the corresponding topic with the readings indicated by the professor.

Extraordinary call: orientations and renunciation

In the extraordinary call, the student must make up for all those assignments that were not completed during the regular course.

In case the assignments have already been submitted but the level is not sufficient to pass the course, the teacher will provide new readings and exercises corresponding to the same topics of the syllabus.

Temary

Linguistic change

Sound change and phonological change

Morphological change. Morphological re-analisis. Analogy

Syntactic change. Syntactic re-analisis. Grammaticalization

Semantic change.

Similarities among languages: common origin, contact, typological parallelism

Comparative method and internal reconstructions

Language contact and language convergence



This evaluation system is designed for face-to-face teaching and will be adapted in the event that we enter a new state of health emergency and have to go to virtual teaching. In this case, the updated version of the program and the new evaluation system will be posted in the Egela virtual classroom

Bibliography

Compulsory materials

Materials and notes provided by the teacher.

Basic bibliography

Bynon, Th., 1977, Lingüística histórica. Madrid: Gredos.

Campbell, L., 2000, Historical Linguistics, Edinburgh.

Campbell, L. y M. J. Mixco, 2007, A glossary of historical linguistics. London.

Hock, H. H., 1988, Principles of Historical Linguistics. Berlin-New York.

Joseph, B. D. & R. D. Janda, 2003, Handbook of Historical Linguistics, Oxford: Blackwell

Michelena, L, 1963, Lenguas y protolenguas, Salamanca.

Trask, R. L., 1996, Historical Linguistics. Londres, Arnold.

Trask, R.L. 2000, The Dictionary of Historical and Comparative Linguistics, Chicago/London.

Journals

Diachronica



Journal of Historical Linguistics



Historische Sprachforschung



Transactions of the Philological Society

Links

http://indoeuropeistas.weebly.com



http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/indexs.htm



http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/