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CAS LX 535 Syllabus Historical and Comparative Linguistics Fall 2011

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CAS LX 535 Syllabus Historical and Comparative Linguistics Fall 2011 CAS LX 535 Syllabus Historical and Comparative Linguistics Fall 2011 Prerequisite: CAS LX 250 Luc Baronian Class schedule Assistant Professor Tu – Th: 11AM–12:30PM room: KCB 107 Boston University Office and office hours College of Arts and Sciences 621 Commonwealth Ave, B08 617 358-4642 [email protected] Tu 2–4PM & Wed: 2–3PM http://people.bu.edu/baronian (or by appointment) General overview of the course Introduction to language change and the methodology of historical linguistic analysis, using data from a wide array of languages. Investigates genetic relatedness among languages, language comparison, historical re- construction, and patterns and principles of change in phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Course and learning objectives Acquiring knowledge of the main linguistic families. Developing the abilities to reconstruct basic proto- forms based on a comparative analysis and internal reconstruction, to recognize and analyze sound change and analogical change, as well as to apply principles of dialectology in grouping dialects. Getting acquainted with some of the current issues in the field (grammaticalization, lexical diffusion, macrofamilies). Required texts Textbook • Campbell, Lyle. Historical Linguistics: An Introduction, Second Edition (MIT Press, 2004). Other Additional readings will be supplied where noted as the semester progresses through E-RESERVE. See bib- liography for general references. 1 Course requirements • Regular attendance and participation: 5 % Participation includes asking relevant questions in class and using my office hours wisely. • Assignments: A minimum of four assignments (40%) Each assignment consists of a set of problem-solving questions. Collaboration (up to two students per team) is encouraged for assignments. • In-class quizzes 1-2: 15% X 2 = 30% Quiz 1 will test the material reviewed in weeks 1–5. Quiz 2 will test the material from weeks 6–10. Both quizes may include short problem-solving questions as well. • Final exam: 25% Questions on the final exclusively testing material from weeks 11–15 will count for 15% of the course. The other 10% can test anything we have covered during the semester. • You are expected to notify me by email as early as possible of any exceptional circumstance justifying your absence from class and, again under exceptional circumstances, to obtain prior permission for late submis- sion of an assignment. Otherwise, absences will be considered unexcused and late assignments will not be accepted. • You are expected to abide by the CAS Academic Conduct Code: http://www.bu.edu/cas/students/undergrad-resources/code/ Plagiarism in any form (including online sources), cheating and other academic misconduct will not be toler- ated. Bibliography • Anttila, Raimo (1989). Historical and Comparative Linguistics. Amsterdam ; Philadelphie : J. Benjamins (1972), 462 pp. • Crowley, Terry (1997). An Introduction to Historical Linguistics. Auckland ; Melbourne : Oxford UP (1992), 342 pp. • Fortson IV, Benjamin W. 2004. Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction. Oxford : Blackwell Publishing • Hock, Hans Henrich (1991). Principles of Historical Linguistics. Berlin; New York: Mouton de Gruyter (1986), 744 pp. • Hock, Hans Henrich & Joseph, Brian D. (1996). Language History, Language Change, and Language Relationship: An Introduction to Historical and Comparative Linguistics. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 602 pp. • Joseph, Brian D & Richard Janda. (2003). The Handbook of Historical Linguistics. Oxford : Blackwell Publishing, 881 pp. • Labov, William. 1994. Principles of Linguistic Change Vol I: Internal Factors, Vol II: Social Factors. Oxford : Blackwell Publishing • Lass, Roger (1997). Historical Linguistics and Language Change. Cambridge : Cambridge UP, 423 pp. • Lehmann, Winfred Philipp (1992). Historical Linguistics: An Introduction. London ; New York : Routeledge (1962 [New York; Chicago : Holt Rinehart and Winston]), 338 pp. • Mallory, J.P. & D. Q. Adams. 2006. The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo- European World. Oxford : Oxford University Press. • Schendl, Herbert (2001). Historical Linguistics. Oxford : Oxford UP, 130 pp. • Trask, Robert Lawrence (1996). Historical Linguistics. London ; New York : Arnold, 430 pp. 2 Schedule (potential changes will be announced in class) Week Date Topic Reading Evaluation 1 T 9/6 Introduction, background, Th 9/8 importance of historical linguistics Campbell, Ch. 1 2 T 9/13 Sound change Campbell, Ch. 2 Th 9/15 Campbell, Ch. 11 3 T 9/20 No class Th 9/22 Overview of linguistic families Campbell, Ch. 6 4 T 9/27 Semantic change Campbell, Ch. 9 Th 9/29 Assignment 1 due 5 T 10/4 Syntactic change Campbell, Ch. 10 Th 10/6 6 T 10/11 Morphological change Campbell, Ch. 4 Quiz 1 Th 10/13 7 T 10/18 Diffusion of change Campbell, Ch. 7 Th 10/20 8 T 10/25 Borrowing and contact Campbell, Ch. 3 Th 10/27 Pidgins and creoles [Reading TBA] Assignment 2 due 9 T 11/1 Comparative Campbell, Ch. 5 Th 11/3 reconstruction 10 T 11/8 Dialectology Campbell, Ch. 12 Th 11/10 and subgrouping Quiz 2 11 T 11/15 Internal Campbell, Ch. 8 Th 11/17 reconstruction Assignment 3 due 12 T 11/22 Macrofamilies Campbell, Ch. 13 Th 11/24 Thanksgiving 13 T 11/29 Philology Campbell, Ch. 14 Th 12/1 and written corpora 14 T 12/6 Proto-Indo-European Campbell, Ch. 15 Th 12/8 and the Indo-Europeans [Reading TBA] Assignment 4 due 15 T 12/13 Study Period Th 12/15 No class Date TBA Final exam 3.
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