LFU:online

Students will be familiar with relevant theoretical approaches and main concepts in language variation and change, particularly syntactic and lexical variation in Contemporary English. The main goal of the course is for students to be able to identify and critically analyse relevant literature on a specific research topic (one particular phenomenon of linguistic variation in Present Day English), formulate an appropriate and concise research question, give a successful presentation on the chosen topic, and write a short term paper.

Today’s English is, as language is in general, full of variation, i.e. very often, ‘two or more ways of saying the same thing’ exist. Typically, such variation is guided by language-internal factors (e.g. particular linguistic features of the elements involved) and/or by extra-linguistic issues such as age, social class or region. Furthermore, synchronic variation is interesting because it frequently provides an indication of change in progress.

In this course, the main focus will be on variation and change in English syntax and semantics. Important concepts in the field will be introduced on the basis of case studies from earlier stages of English and Contemporary English, including a discussion of the mechanisms at play in language variation and change as well as factors influencing these processes. Finally, students will get to know methods of variationist and diachronic analysis.

Teacher input, group discussions, presentations, small quizzes and exercises

Regular attendance, active participation in class discussions and smaller exercises, oral presentation, proseminar paper.

Nevalainen, Terttu & Helena Raumolin-Brunberg. 2003. Historical Sociolinguistics: Language Change in Tudor and Stuart England. London: Longman.

Tagliamonte, Sali A. 2012. Variationist Sociolinguistics. Change, Observation, Interpretation. Chichester: Wiley-Backwell.

[selected chapters]

BA 2015: positive completion of mandatory module 5

BA 2009: none

Teacher Training Programme 2001: VO1: Introduction to English Synchronic Linguistics + VO1: Introduction to the History of English

BA "old" ("2009): PS 2: Systemic and/or Applied English Linguistics

Teacher Training Programme "old" (2001): PS 2: Linguistics and Culture