Ling 474 Syllabus, p. 3

Contact Information

Class Location & Time: LA 207; T, R 2:10-3:30

Professor: Irene Appelbaum

Office Location & Phone: SS 211; x4837

Office Hours: M, W 1:00-2:00 & by appt.

Email:

Course Goals

This course provides an introduction to the field of historical linguistics. The three central aims of historical linguistics are: (i) to understand the ways languages change over time, and to use this understanding to (ii) classify languages genetically, and (iii) reconstruct aspects of unattested languages.

The topics to be covered in this course correspond to the above aims as follows: (i) in order to understand how languages change over time, we will survey major types of diachronic change at a variety of levels: Sound Change (including phonetic vs. phonemic change, conditioned vs. unconditioned change, lenition processes, assimilation, segment removal & addition), Morphological Change (including analogical extension and leveling), Lexical and Semantic Change (including borrowing), and Syntactic Change (including grammaticalization, reanalysis, extension, and borrowing); (ii) we will use knowledge about sound:meaning correspondence in order to sort languages into genetic units, and employ the method of shared innovation in order to try to determine the internal structure of language families (Determining Relatedness); and (iii) we will learn about and apply The Comparative Method in order to reconstruct the sound structure of a language family's parent language (the proto-language) and employ the method of Internal Reconstruction to reconstruct earlier stages of a single language(the pre-language).

Additional topics to be addressed include the effect of language contact on reconstruction and classification efforts, and the use of quantitative models to attempt to estimate the time depth for the divergence of languages within a family. This course co-convenes with LING 574.

Texts

The required textbook for the class is:

An Introduction to Historical Linguistics, Terry Crowley & Claire Bowern

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, 4th Edition

ISBN-10: 0195365542.

The following optional textbook has also been ordered:

Historical Linguistics: An Introduction, Lyle Campbell

Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, 2004, 2nd Edition

ISBN: 0262532670.

For each topic, both required and optional reading assignments are listed. For the most part, the optional assignments do not address additional topics, but rather offer an alternative presentation of the topics covered in the required reading.

Both textbooks are available for purchase at The Bookstore in the UC. In addition, a copy of each textbook has been placed on 2 Hr. Traditional Reserve at the Mansfield Library.

Requirements and Grading

Attendance: Students are expected to attend all classes. If you miss class it is your responsibility to keep yourself informed about the material you missed, as well as any homework assigned, and any schedule changes. Students who miss class on a test day will receive a zero for that test. No make-up tests will be given except in the case of illness, injury, family emergency or participation in a University-sponsored activity. In the case of illness or injury a written note from a medical doctor is required as soon as the student returns to class. No absences will be excused, and no make-up test given, at a later point in the semester. In the case of absence due to participation in a University-sponsored activity, students must inform the instructor in advance of the test date.

Homework and Participation: Students are expected to read each assignment prior to the class in which it is to be discussed and to be prepared with any assigned homework. Homework assignments will not be collected or graded, but you should be prepared to discuss your answers and, if called upon, to present your answers to the class. Failure to do so may negatively affect your participation grade.

Problem Sets: Problem sets will be assigned 4 times during the semester. Due dates are listed in the Course Schedule below, but are subject to change. Each problem set will typically be assigned 7-10 days before it is due. Problem sets are due at the beginning of the class period. Absolutely no late problem sets will be accepted . You may discuss the assignments with classmates, but you must write up your answers on your own and you must indicate on your assignment the names of any classmates you consulted with. Problem sets do not need to be typed but in all cases must be neat and legible, and submitted on 8.5 x 11 inch paper. If you choose to turn in handwritten assignments please be sure to write in blue or black ink only. Additional instructions for submitting problem sets will be given out later in the semester. Failure to heed instructions for submitting problem sets may result in a zero for that assignment.

Tests: Two in-class tests will be given during the course of the semester. The dates for these tests, also listed in the Course Schedule below, are: Tuesday, February 15 and Thursday, April 21. The format for the tests and the material to be covered on each will be given later in the semester. Upon request, extra office hours will be made available before each test.

Final Exam: The final exam is scheduled for Wed, May 11, 1:10 - 3:10 in LA 207. The final will be cumulative, but will emphasize material introduced in the latter part of the course. Detailed information about the format and material to be covered on the final will be given later in the semester.

"Students may seek relief from writing more than two examinations during the same day. Students who are scheduled for more than two examinations may contact the appropriate faculty to arrange an alternate testing during the final examination week." (http://www.umt.edu/catalog/academic/policy.htm#finals.)

Course grades will be based on the following calculation:

Tests / 24% / 2 @ 12% each
Problem Sets / 48% / 4 @ 12% each
Final Exam / 24%
Participation / 4%

learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

• identify a wide variety of sound-change types in language

• understand the processes and environments that condition sound changes

• appreciate the strengths and limitations of the neogrammarian's claim that "sound change laws suffer no exceptions"

• distinguish sound changes that affect the phonemic structure of a language from those than don't

• recognize instances of analogy and understand the central role it plays in morphological change;

• understand the central mechanisms of syntactic change and recognize examples of each.

• apply the method of shared innovation to identify branches within a language family

• apply the method of comparative method to reconstruct the sound structure of proto-languages

• apply the method of internal reconstruction to reconstruct earlier stages of a single language.

Course Schedule

DATE / TOPIC / REQUIRED READING
(Crowley & Bowern) / OPTIONAL READING
(Campbell) / ITEMS DUE
T 1/25 / Introduction / --- / --
SOUND CHANGE
R 1/27 / Types of Sound Change / Ch 2: 23-49 / Ch 2: 27-46
T 2/01 / Types of Sound Change - Con't. / " / "
R 2/03 / Rules & Rule Ordering / Ch 3: 55-62 / Ch 2: 46-52
T 2/08 / Phonetic vs. Phonemic Change / Ch 4: 65-76 / Ch 2: 19-27
THE COMPARATIVE METHOD
R 2/10 / Procedures / Ch 5: 78-103 / Ch 5: 122-67
T 2/15 / • Test 1 • / -- / -- / Test 1
R 2/17 / Procedures - Con't. / " / "
T 2/22 / Procedures - Con't. / " / "
R 2/24 / Challenges & History / Ch 9: 162-183 / "
T 3/01 / Challenges & History - Con't. / " / "
DETERMINING RELATEDNESS
R 3/03 / Sub-grouping / Ch 6: 108-117 / Ch 6: 186-201 / Problem Set 1
T 3/08 / Sub-grouping - Con't. / " / "
INTERNAL RECONSTRUCTION
R 3/10 / Internal Reconstruction / Ch 7: 121-131 / Ch 8: 225-242
T 3/15 / Internal Reconstruction - Con't. / " / " / Problem Set 2
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGE
R 3/17 / Morphological Change / Ch 10: 184-194 / Ch 4: 103-120
T 3/22 / Morphological Change - Con't. / " / "
SEMANTIC & LEXICAL CHANGE
R 3/24 / Borrowing / Ch 11: 205-210 / Ch 3: 62-84 / Problem Set 3
T 3/29 / Borrowing - Con't. / " / "
R 3/31 / Semantic & Lexical Changes / Ch 11: 199-205; 210-12 / Ch 9: 252-280 / Problem Set 4
SPRING BREAK
SYNTACTIC CHANGE
T 4/12 / Typology & Grammatical Change / Ch 12: 217-233 / --
R 4/14 / Grammaticalization / Ch 12: 233-239 / Ch 10: 292-297
T 4/19 / Mechanisms of Grammatical Change / Ch 12: 239-241 / Ch 10: 283-288
R 4/21 / • Test 2 • / Test 2
MODELS
T 4/26 / Lexicostatistics & Glottochronology / Ch 8: 136-151 / Ch 6: 200-210
R 4/28 / Methods from Biology / Ch 8: 151-159 / --
LANGUAGE CONTACT
T 5/03 / Language Contact / Ch 14: 264-293 / Ch 12: 330-343
R 5/05 / Summary & Review
FINAL EXAM: Wed., May 11, 1:10 - 3:10, LA 207

COURSE EXPECTATIONS & POLICIES

Student Conduct Code: Students are expected to adhere to the University of Montana Student Conduct Code which may be downloaded from: http://life.umt.edu/vpsa/student_conduct.php.

Academic Misconduct: "Plagiarism is the representing of another's work as one's own. It is a particularly intolerable offense in the academic community and is strictly forbidden. Students who plagiarize may fail the course and may be remanded to Academic Court for possible suspension or expulsion."(University Catalog: http://www.umt.edu/catalog/academic/policy.htm#plagiarism.)

Course Accommodations Statement (DDS): If you are a student with a disability who will require reasonable program modification in this course, please meet with Disability Services for Students in Lommasson 154 for assistance in developing a plan to address program modifications. If you are already working with Disability Services arrange to meet with me during my office hours to discuss reasonable modifications that may be necessary. For more information, visit the Disability Services website at: http://life.umt.edu/dss/.

Classroom Expectations: Students are expected to:

• have read each assignment prior to the class in which it is to be discussed

• be prepared to present and discuss assigned homework

• have cell phones and iPods turned off & put away

• never ever text during class

• use laptops only for the purpose of taking class notes.

Students who fail to meet the above expectations may be asked to leave the class and may expect to suffer a penalty on their final grade.

Moodle: This course has a Moodle component. The Moodle website will be used to post course materials and to make announcements. Students are responsible for checking email at the address listed on Moodle for any last-minute announcements or changes. If you are not familiar with Moodle, you are encouraged to do the UMOnline 101 Tutorial, listed under Student Resources, at http://umonline.umt.edu/.