Schedule 71. StuTS + 31. TaCoS

We all know language families and language trees which are supposed to show how languages are related. But the method that underlies such trees, the theoretical background and its problems are not taught in my linguistic programms. Here's a workshop for you that covers these topics.

Language families and language trees do not fall from the sky. They are based on a theoretical framework called the (historical) comparative method. This method was developed in the 19th century for the Indo-European languages and assumes that languages split from earlier languages in isolation and evolve in systematic ways that lead to regular correspondences in the area of phonology and also morphology. The method does not take borrowings, linguistic diffusions and other phenomena of language contact into account and it remains unclear to which extent it can be applied to languages in general.
Unfortunately, the method and problems that come with language trees are not taught in many synchronically orientated linguistic programs so that students have to rely on and believe in existing trees. However, synchronic linguists should now about the theoretical background in order to evaluate trees and distinguish typological and genetically based similarities between languages. This is especially relevant for linguists working in the field who want to detect influences from neighbouring languages or people involved in synchronic comparative work. In this crash course we will take a closer look at trees and how they come into existence and we will explore how your research can benefit from a historical perspective.

Info

Day: 2022-05-26
Start time: 11:30
Duration: 01:00
Room: Decartes (2.36)
Track: Historical Linguistics
Language: en

Links:

• iCalendar

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