Course Description
The major linguistic changes in the history of the Spanish language, including the interaction of linguistic and societal changes and the representation of these changes in texts.
Athena Title
HISTORY SPAN LANG
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. To understand and analyze the major linguistic processes in the development of Spanish from Latin 2. To acquire a general understanding of language change Students will demonstrate this knowledge through readings and exercises for every class meeting, two oral presentations, three in-class tests, a research project and a final exam.
Topical Outline
I. Introduction: basic principles of linguistics analysis and the nature and types of language change II. External history of the Spanish language and possible effects of language contact III. Analysis of historical sound changes from Spoken Latin to Spanish IV. Analysis of ongoing sound changes in the Spanish-speaking world V. Analysis of morphological changes in the noun phrase and the verb phrase: the tendency toward analytical structures and the role of analogy VI. Semantic change