1. Historical Linguistics

2. Historical Lingustics
Definition:
the study of how languages change over time.

3. Reasons for Language Change
The nature of society
geography and isolation of groups,
invention/discovery of new things,
imperfect learning, and
social status.
Example: Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Move to lower socioeconomic status to show membership in year-round resident group
Example: Children learn imperfectly and transmit their errors to younger children.

4. Reasons for Language Change
The nature of language
ease of articulation,
analogy, and
metaphor
Example: Metaphors eventually change the meaning of words into their metaphorical meaning (arms (on the body) to arms (weapons) and brazo (arm) to braceros (laborers))

5. Language Change Occurs in
Phonetics
Phonemics
Morphology
Syntax
Semantics

6. Regular sound shifts that occur over time in many languages
Phonetic Changes
Regular sound shifts that occur over time in many languages
Grimm’s Law (1822)
bh b b p p f
dh d d t t th
gh g g k k x
Voiced voiced voiced voiceless voiceless voiceless
aspirated plosive plosive plosive plosive aspirated
EG. Latin English
pater father p-f, t-th
piscis fish p-f
tres three t-th

7. Verner’s Law
When the stress/accent falls on the root syllable of the word, Grimm’s law works; when it does not, then Verner’s Law works:
p b
t d
k g

8. Assimilation – one sound influenced by the pronunciation of a neighboring sound. (Don’t be silly – Dombe silly)
Dissimilaton – when the same consonant sound appears close together, one will disappear (surprise – supprise, governor – govenor)
Haplology – the loss of one of two repetitive syllables (probably – probly, Anglaland – England)
Loss – a sound disappears – Old English eahta (8)
Prothesis – introduction of an extra sound at the beginning of a word – Latin scola to Spanish escuela.
Apocope – the loss of final sounds – Old English helpe to help.
Etc………
Types of Sound Change

9. Types of Morphological Change
Analogy – irregular forms change to conform to regular patterns –
helpan, healp, holpen to
help, helped, helped
Gender changes –
Early Indo European masculine, feminine and neuter to
French - masculine and feminine
Dutch - common and neuter
English - none
German and Greek – masculine, feminine and neuter

10. Types of Semantic Change
Lexical history (etymology)
Borrowing - French from English - weekend, parking
Loan Translation - German from English – telephone to ferensprecher
fern=distant, sprecher=speaker
Obsolescence - Concept no longer useful – English telex
Extension - A word widens its meaning – Latin virtue is a male quality, English is used for both males and females
Amelioration – loss of negative connotation, English mischievous used to mean disastrous

11. Reconstructing Past Languages
Contemporary accounts – writings by authors who described language at the time
Poetic evidence – rhyming
Alphabetic evidence – alphabets had added symbols for sounds
Comparative reconstruction based on families of languages
In future – tape recordings and video recordings.

12. Reconstruction of Proto Indo European - Romance

13. Reconstruction of Proto Indo European (Germanic)

14. Patterns of Language Change
Change from above – attempts to rise in status
Change from below – using language as an indication of membership in a particular group

15. S-shaped curve – slow beginning, rapid center, slow ending

16. Wave Model – movement through social and geographical space.

17. Language Families Two kinds of family trees :
Morphological – from the grammar of the languages
Genetic – from historical documentation of how languages evolved

18. Study Guide Historical Linguistics Loan translation
Geogrphical isolation Obsolescence extension
Culural invention/discovery Amelioration
Imperfect learning Contemporary accounts
Status differences Poetic evidence
Grimm’s Law Alphabetic evidence
Verner’s Law Comparative reconstruction
Assimilation Tape and video recordings
Dissimilaton Proto Indo European
Haplology Loss Change from above
Prothesis Change from below
Apocope S-shaped curve
Analogy Wave model
Gender changes Morphological language
Borrowing families
Genetic language families