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Historical Linguistics

LNGS2616

This unit looks at the mechanisms of change within a particular language as well as across groups of related languages. This raises the question of how languages can be related: whether through sharing a common ancestor; by being in contact for a long time or by being consciously planned. In each instance we must either rely on knowledge we can gain from languages still in use or on records of extinct languages or earlier stages of existing languages. Because the records are often sparse it becomes necessary to reconstruct earlier stages and the unit provides the tools for undertaking a reconstruction. Once we reconstruct a common ancestor language we are then able to make inferences about the culture of the people who spoke it as well as where they lived and how they moved about. Each level of linguistic structure is relevant to the study of language change so that the unit considers how sounds systems change over time as well as changes in meanings and grammatical systems.

Unit of study details

Unit of study level: Senior

Credit points: 6

Commencing semesters: 2

Further unit of study information

Unit of study handbook: LNGS2616

Costs and scholarships information: Costs and Scholarships

Final dates to withdraw from units of study: Census Dates

Available for study abroad and exchange: No

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