Proseminar: Historical Phonology
Do. 11.00-13.00
Geb. 23.21 Raum U1.81                                                          Beginn: 06.04.2006
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Modern English see and sea are spelt differently although they are pronounced in the same way, whereas tough and though are spelt similarly, although they are pronounced in a different way. The English language provides the historical linguist with thousands of examples like these. In many cases the investigation into the historical development of certain patterns of sound change helps us to understand - or even to explain - why we write and pronounce words in a specific way.

Therefore this seminar has two central issues:

1. a solid description of selected patterns of phonetic and phonological change,
2. models of understanding or explaining these changes.

We will always take the Modern English phenomenon as a starting point, which then should be analysed in its historic perspective with regard to earlier stages of the language, i.e. Early Modern English, Middle English, and - if possible - Old English. Students will learn how to use the relevant books of reference and how to gather the linguistic data and secondary material in an efficient way.

The texts and additional materials are available on the university's BSCW-Server (bscw.uni-duesseldorf.de) to which you will be invited, if you send your name and a valid email-address to holteir@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de.

Recommended reading:

1. Repeat what you have learnt about phonetics and phonology in the introductions.
2. Study the entries 'sound change' and 'phonological change' in any of the current linguistic reference works, e.g.: David Crystal's Cambridge Encyclopedias or Tom McArthur's Oxford Companion to the English Language.
3. Have a look at some of the numerous collections of studies in this field, which are available in the ULB.

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Voraussetzungen: Introduction to Linguistics
Leistungsnachweis: Abschlussprüfung (mündlich) und Präsentation oder Hausarbeit
Veranstaltungstyp: Wahlpflicht M.A./Prom./B.A.

Der Inhalt der Lehrveranstaltung ist geeignet für die Zwischenprüfung

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©  Rainer Holtei
last updated
20.09.2009

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