Historical Linguistics

Catalog description

Principles of comparative linguistics; language families; reconstruction of lost languages. LING 502 Historical Linguistics (3) The goal of this course is to engage graduate students in an analysis of the competing theories of the methods for classifying the world's languages. The course will provide an historical overview of the field with a major emphasis on contemporary debates. At issue will be whether all languages can be reconstructed to a common source. Is there possible evidence for such a reconstruction? Can the methodology faithfully extend to the very remote past?