Modiwl QXL-3347:
Language Change

Ffeithiau’r Modiwl

Rhedir gan School of Arts, Culture and Language

20.000 Credyd neu 10.000 Credyd ECTS

Semester 1

Trefnydd: Dr Christopher Shank

Amcanion cyffredinol

This module is divided into two parts. The first will explore language change via external forces such what happens when languages come in contact with one another, how conscious and unconscious factors can motivate language change such as prestige, language attitudes, and social networks and variation. The second part of the module will explore ‘internal’ forces that motivate language change such as lexicalization, grammaticalization and pragmaticalization. Grammaticalization refers to the change whereby lexical terms and constructions serve grammatical functions in certain linguistic contexts and, once grammaticalized, continue to develop new grammatical functions. The second half of the module emphasizes the mechanisms for the creation of grammar and the universal paths of development that grammatical morphemes follow. The implications of grammaticalization for language typology, language change, synchronic and diachronic analysis of both form and meaning are explored.

Aims:

  • To introduce students to current literature and theories regarding language change.
  • To acquaint students with the principles, concepts and basic assumptions of ‘external’ sociolinguistic approaches to explain language variation and change including the impact of language contact, social variation, social networks, prestige and language attitudes.
  • To acquaint students with the principles, concepts and basic assumptions of ‘internal’ explanations for language change including the process of lexicalization, the theory of grammaticalization as well as the process of pragmaticalization.
  • To encourage students to think creatively about questions raised by the theory of grammaticalization, to develop a critical attitude towards those ideas and to raise questions of their own.
  • To give students an opportunity to acquire and practise using research skills appropriate to this field of study.
  • To demonstrate the role and/or importance that grammaticalization processes play within both functional and usage based approaches to typology, language use, variation and change.
  • To start a student on his or her own research project (via either a data driven project or a comprehensive review of literature) that examines an example or examples of either synchronic or diachronic language change.

Cynnwys cwrs

The following are representative topics: 1.Introduction & Terms / How & why Do Languages Change? 2.Language Change in an Evolutionary Framework 3.Language Change – Transition 4.Language Change – Causation 5.Corpus based approaches to linguistics 6.History of Grammaticalization 7.Mechanisms of Lexicalization (Lxn) 8.Parameters / diagnostics of Grammaticalization (Gmx) 9.Mechanisms of Grammaticalization (Gmx) 10. Mechanisms of Pragmaticalization (Pgn)

Meini Prawf

trothwy

D: student has achieved the minimum acceptable standard of understanding and/or knowledge in all the LOs

da

B: student has achieved a better-than-average standard of understanding and/or knowledge in all LOs

ardderchog

A: student has achieved a thorough standard of understanding and/or knowledge in all LOs; or student has demonstrated an exceptional level of achievement in one or more LOs

Canlyniad dysgu

  1. An understanding of the importance of working with corpora and of the issues and problems attendant on this type of research

  2. A familiarity with the basic concepts necessary for understanding language change as a process and the main theories that attempt to understand and explain it.

  3. A familiarity with the developments of the last ten years on grammaticalization, lexicalization and pragmaticalization.

  4. An understanding of the most important theoretical and methodological questions currently being discussed in those areas.

Dulliau asesu

Strategaeth addysgu a dysgu

Oriau
Lecture

One 2-hour lecture per week (over 11 teaching weeks)

 22
Seminar

One 1-hour seminar per fortnight (over 11 teaching weeks)

 5
Private study

Students will read and reflect on all of the assigned articles and conduct additional research etc in order to complete the first essay and final data driven or review of literature assignments.

173

Sgiliau Trosglwyddadwy

  • Llythrennedd - Medrusrwydd mewn darllen ac ysgrifennu drwy amrywiaeth o gyfryngau
  • Defnyddio cyfrifiaduron - Medrusrwydd wrth ddefnyddio ystod o feddalwedd cyfrifiadurol
  • Hunanreolaeth - Gallu gweithio mewn ffordd effeithlon, prydlon a threfnus. Gallu edrych ar ganlyniadau tasgau a digwyddiadau, a barnu lefelau o ansawdd a phwysigrwydd
  • Archwilio - Gallu ymchwilio ac ystyried dewisiadau eraill
  • Adalw gwybodaeth - Gallu mynd at wahanol ac amrywiol ffynonellau gwybodaeth
  • Sgiliau Rhyngbersonol - Gallu gofyn cwestiynau, gwrando'n astud ar atebion a'u harchwilio
  • Dadansoddi Beirniadol & Datrys Problem - Gallu dadelfennu a dadansoddi problemau neu sefyllfaoedd cymhleth. Gallu canfod atebion i broblemau drwy ddadansoddiadau ac archwilio posibiliadau
  • Cyflwyniad - Gallu cyflwyno gwybodaeth ac esboniadau yn glir i gynulleidfa. Trwy gyfryngau ysgrifenedig neu ar lafar yn glir a hyderus.
  • Gwaith Tîm - Gallu cydweithio'n adeiladol ag eraill ar dasg gyffredin, ac/neu fod yn rhan o dîm gweithio o ddydd i ddydd
  • Rheloaeth - Gallu defnyddio, cydlynu a rheoli adnoddau (dynol, ffisegol ac/neu ariannol)
  • Dadl - Gallu cyflwyno, trafod a chyfiawnhau barn neu lwybr gweithredu, naill ai gydag unigolyn neu mewn grwˆp ehangach
  • Hunanymwybyddiaeth & Ystyried - Bod yn ymwybodol o'ch cryfderau, gwendidau, nodau ac amcanion eich hun. Gallu adolygu ,cloriannu a myfyrio'n rheolaidd ar eich perfformiad eich hun ac eraill.

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