LING 6130 - Introduction to Historical Linguistics

Historical Linguistics is about how and why languages change. This course is a hands-on introduction to historical linguistics. Students learn not only the fundamental contents and methods of historical linguistics, but also how to do historical linguistics by working through exercises involving a variety of languages. Introduces the study of language evolution and linguistic change (phonological, lexical, morphological, syntactic, semantic); the comparative method and its use in linguistic reconstruction and the establishment of genetic relationships between languages; the laws of language change; and issues of language contact, convergence, creolisation. The use of linguistic data for the reconstruction of pre-historic culture will also be explored.