Aims

By the end of the course, students will be familiar with the key terms and concepts in diachronic linguistics and with the phonological, lexical, syntactic and morphological evolution of the English language. The students will be able to read scientific publications and conduct research in the field.

Main themes

Familiarize students with research in the field of diachronic linguistics. The focus is on language change and more specifically on the phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic evolution of the English language and on varieties of English.

Content and teaching methods

Content:
The course introduces key terms and concepts in diachronic linguistics. It also introduces students to research in the field of language change (lexical, syntactic, phonological, …) and to the social dimension of language change.

Methods:
Seminar-like course. Students are expected to do the required readings beforehand so as to be able to participate actively in classroom discussions. Paper presentations.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Course materials: lecture notes, scientific articles, multi-media
Assessment: participation in classroom discussions, paper presentation, written assignment.

Other credits in programs