120054 SE Linguistics Seminar (222) = Seminar Linguistik/BA-Arbeit (2009S)
Semantic change and what speakers have to do with it
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
ECTS UF Englisch: 3P.Diese LVA gilt für das Bachelorstudium nach UG2002, das Diplomstudium (UniStG) und das Lehramt UF Englisch (UniStG).
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Mo 16.02.2009 14:00 to Mo 23.02.2009 09:00
- Registration is open from We 25.02.2009 14:00 to We 04.03.2009 23:59
- Registration is open from Fr 06.03.2009 12:30 to Tu 10.03.2009 13:00
- Deregistration possible until Tu 31.03.2009 23:59
Details
max. 18 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
Monday
09.03.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
16.03.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
23.03.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
30.03.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
20.04.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
27.04.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
04.05.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
11.05.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
18.05.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
25.05.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
08.06.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
15.06.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
22.06.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Monday
29.06.
15:00 - 17:00
Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
In this seminar we shall deal with semantic change and look at the development of words such as to worry, which once meant 'to strangle' (cf. German würgen), lady, which once referred to woman who "kneads bread" (i.e. hlaf [cf. loaf, German Laib] dige [cf. German Teig] ), or humor (which derives from the "fluid or juice of an animal or plant"). We shall collect our data mainly by exploring the Oxford English Dictionary (on CD-Rom), but will gather additional evidence from various electronic corpora. In reconstructing the semantic developments of words, our focus will be on the question how the pragmatically grounded processes by which speakers construct situational meaning in discourse conspire to drive the historical development of conventionalised word meanings.
Assessment and permitted materials
Participants will be assessed on the basis of oral presentations and written research papers. All presentations will take place during a seminar conference at the end of May (May 22nd, afternoon, and May 23rd, all day). Full participation in the conference is mandatory, so please bear this in mind when registering for the course.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
The course intends to make us not only aware that word meanings are variable and changeable, but also that the term ¿meaning¿ itself is highly ambiguous. In particular, we shall attempt do understand that the very notion that a word has a specific meaning in a particular language at a particular time may be an institutionalised social construct rather than an empirical fact. Additionally, the course intends to give participants the chance to carry out linguistic research projects, and to gain experience in solving the problems that such work brings about.
Examination topics
In an introductory phase, the agenda of the seminar will be presented and discussed, and participants will develop their research questions. In particular we shall attempt to develop a common conceptual tool kit for the study of meaning in its different instatiations. In the following workshop sessions we will learn how to work with the OED and relevant text corpora, and how to interpret the evidence they contain. During a seminar conference towards the end of May participants will report on the progress of their projects and attempt to make their findings relevant to one another. The final part of the seminar will be dedicated to the production of written research papers, which will be due in the first week of July.
Reading list
Find your own.
Association in the course directory
1081, 222, 821, 238, 722
Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33