16839
Seminar
SoSe 23: Wandel und Variation der germanischen Sprachen
Ferdinand von Mengden
Comments
Language changes and varies. At all times and in all places. A closer look at linguistic change and variation will reveal that the dynamics of human language need not be entirely random. Yet, the patterns and causalities underlying language change and variation are complex and instantiate on different levels. What happens on the basis of the behavior of an individual speaker? What happens on the social level, i.e., through many people interacting with each other? How do observations on certain descriptive levels of language (phonetics, morphology, syntax, meaning) influence other levels? What happens if different languages are used in the same social space or geographical location?
In proposing approaches to these questions, we will focus on the Germanic languages, in particular on their historical development. Changes that are attested for older historical periods will be brought in line with observations about every-day behavior of speakers in the present. Ultimately, the knowledge about language which we derive from historical sources must be compatible with the cognitive, interactive and social processes of individuals in the present-day world. The core research question – Why and how does language vary and change? – refers equally to human language in general. Therefore, while we focus on Germanic languages and their historical development, observations from non-Germanic languages will be included whenever helpful.
Please notify me before the beginning of the lecture period if you can’t come to the first class.
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14 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Fri, 2023-04-21 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-04-28 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-05-05 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-05-12 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-05-19 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-05-26 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-06-02 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-06-09 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-06-16 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-06-23 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-06-30 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-07-07 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-07-14 10:00 - 12:00
Fri, 2023-07-21 10:00 - 12:00