Language Across Time and Space

Course Description

Summary

This course explores the dynamic processes of language change: how languages evolve over time and influence each other when its users come into contact. Students will examine the mechanisms of phonetic, morphological, and syntactic change, along with phenomena such as grammaticalization and semantic shifts. Special attention will be given to the effects of language contact, including borrowing, code-switching, and the formation of pidgins and creoles, which necessitates an understanding of the social factors that drive language change, such as the role of identity, power dynamics, and globalization. Additionally, students will gain insight into the role of comparative and historical linguistics in tracing the development of languages over time and how this has led to the diversity of language across the globe.