Universität Wien

122048 PS Proseminar Linguistics 2 (2012S)

Observing Mechanisms of Language Change

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work

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).

Details

max. 24 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 13.03. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 20.03. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 27.03. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 17.04. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 24.04. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 08.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 15.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 22.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Friday 01.06. 14:00 - 19:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Saturday 02.06. 09:00 - 13:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 05.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 12.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 19.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 26.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course introduces students to core mechanisms of language change and observable patterns in linguistic variation (diachronic and synchronic). Among the mechanisms which will be discussed are, for example, analogy, borrowing, reanalysis, productivity, iconicity, grammaticalization, metaphor, semantic reduction and attrition. It is the aim of this course to investigate these general diachronic processes within a time span of the last two hundred years. Processes of linguistic change can also be observed in the more recent stages of English (including present day American English), which shows how linguistic variation constitutes potential long-term change in the making. In their individual projects, students will identify and analyze one or more mechanisms in the COHA (Corpus of Historical American English) and the COCA (Corpus of Contemporary American English) and present their findings in oral presentations as well as in their written papers.

Assessment and permitted materials

Assessment is based on

-class participation
-weekly readings and assignments
-oral presentation at the mini-conference
-written paper.

All oral presentations will be held at a mini-conference which takes place on Fri 01. 06.2012 (14.00 - 19.00) and Sat 02.06.2012 (9.00 - 13.00). Full participation in the conference is mandatory, so please bear this in mind when registering for the course. It is highly recommended that participants who take this course have successfully completed the PS1 linguistics course already.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The goals of this course are

i) to familiarize participants with various diachronic mechanisms of language change
ii) to develop the research and analytical skills necessary for the study of linguistic variation
iii) to explore the nature of ongoing linguistic variation and change in a corpus

Examination topics

Discussion of weekly readings, lecturer input, presentation of individual research, group interaction

Reading list

will be provided in class

Association in the course directory

Studium: BA 612;
Code/Modul: BA06.1;
Lehrinhalt: 12-2042

Last modified: Th 09.01.2025 00:16