Description and contextualization of the subject

This course elaborates on the basic notions of diachronic and comparative linguistics stated in the basic course. It is mainly aimed at those students who want to specialize in historical and comparative linguistics by following the corresponding seminars of this master and also by preparing his or her Master’s thesis in this field of linguistics. The course will mostly deal with complex problems of linguistic change and it will try to link these problems with the classic methods of linguistic reconstruction (comparative and internal reconstruction) just delineated in the previous course.

Reference will also made to linguistic contact and related areal phenomena, as issues that may have an impact in every hypothesis of genetic linguistic relationship, as well as to recent proposals of comparative and genetic relationships in non-classical cases and to second grade reconstructions and alternative methods to the traditional comparative method. Special attention will be paid to the role of typology in the diachronic explanations and in the reconstruction, as well as to the nature of so-called protolanguages.

Temary

Approaches to linguistic change and to the history of languages.

Classification of linguistic change.

Areal linguistics and change diffusion.

Typology, diachrony and reconstruction.

Linguistic comparison and reconstruction.

Bibliography

Basic bibliography

Anttila, R., 1977, Analogy, The Hague.

Bynon, Th., 1977, Lingüística histórica. Madrid. (Traducción española: Gredos).

Campbell, L., 2000, Historical Linguistics, Edinburgh.

Campbell, L. y M. J. Mixco, 2007, A glossary of historical linguistics. London.

Hock, H. H., 1988, Principles of Historical Linguistics. Berlin-New York.

Joseph, B. D. & R. D. Janda, 2003, Handbook of Historical Linguistics, Oxford: Blackwell

Trask, R. L., 1996, Historical Linguistics. Londres, Arnold.

Trask, R.L. 2000, The Dictionary of Historical and Comparative Linguistics, Chicago/London.

In-depth bibliography

Aikhenvald, A. & R.M.W. Dixon, (eds.), Areal diffusion and genetic inheritance: problems in Comparative linguistics, Oxford: OUP.



Andersen, H., 1990, The structure of drift, in H. Andersen Y K. Koerner (eds.), Historical linguistics 1987, Amsterdam-Philadelphia: Benjamins.



Bybee, J. 2015, Language Change, Cambridge: CUP.



Campbell, L., 1988, Reseña de Greenberg 1987, Language 64, 591-615.



___, 2003, Beyond the comparative method?, in B.J. Blake y K. Burridge (eds.), Historical linguistics 2001. Amsterdam-Philadelphia: Benjamins.



Comrie, B., 1993, Typology and reconstruction, in Jones (ed.), 74-97.



Croft, W. 2003, Typology and universals, Cambridge: CUP.



Dixon, R.M.W., 1997, The rise and fall of languages, Cambridge: CUP.



Fisiak, J., 1997, (ed.), Linguistic typology and reconstruction, Berlin-New York: Mouton de Gruyter.



Gorrochategui, J. & Lakarra, J. A., 2001, Comparación lingüística, filología y reconstrucción del protovasco, VIII Coloquio sobre Lenguas y Culturas Prerromanas de la Península Ibérica.



Jones, Ch. (ed.), 1993, Historical linguistics: Problems and perspectives, Londres-New York: Longman.



Kroch, A, 1989, Reflexes of grammar in patterns of language change, Language variation and change 1, 199-244.



Michelena, L., 1963, Lenguas y protolenguas, Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca.



Nichols, J., 1992, Linguistic diversity in space and time, Chicago: University of Chicago Press



Sagart, L. 1999, The roots of Old Chinese, Amsterdam-Philadelphia: Benjamins.

Journals

Diachronica



Historische Sprachforschung



Journal of Historical Linguistics



Folia Linguistica Historica



Transactions of the Philological Society