Linguistic change
"Every language has
a history, and, as in the rest of human culture, changes are
constantly taking place in the course of the learned transmission of
a language from one generation to another. This is just part of the
difference between human culture and animal behaviour. Languages
change in all their aspects, in their pronunciation, word forms,
syntax, and word meanings (semantic change). These changes are
mostly very gradual in their operation, becoming noticeable only
cumulatively over the course of several generations."
[Encyclopaedia Britannica, sub voce:
Language. Linguistic change]
The study of several contiguous
diachronic stages of a language offers a
comparative perspective that goes along the same lines as synchronic
comparative studies between different languages and/or dialects.
Reading comprehension:
Download
the pdf to do it.
Listening comprehension: Listen
to William Labov's short talk on
Language Change in Philadelphia and
write down which are the questions a linguist should do research on
according to him. What was Labov's main interest when he moved to
Philadelphia?
Download the detailed questions to be answered.
Writing exercise:
After reading
Tyler Schnoebelen's
review on Principles of Linguistic Change, by William
Labov, and outlining its main points together (in class), you
will have to write an essay on
Linguistic Change (200 words).
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SECOND ASSIGNMENT:
A 125/200-word summary of the main topics we have worked
in class (reading, listening, etc.).
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Title:
Linguistic change within a community of speech.
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Format: MsWord
/ pdf
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Submission: Send
a Word or a pdf file to
montserrat.batllori@udg.edu
-
Deadline
/ due date: March
22nd.
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Percentage of the
final mark: 5%
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