Course Description
An overview of the Slavic family of languages, aspects of their historical development, and characteristics of their modern linguistic systems. Selected topics in the phonology, morphology, syntax, and sociolinguistics of individual Slavic languages will be addressed. No prior knowledge of any Slavic language is required. All readings and discussions will be in English.
Athena Title
Intro to Slavic Linguistics
Prerequisite
LING 2100 or LING 2100E or LING 2100H
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course will introduce students to the field of Slavic linguistics through a survey of the modern Slavic languages and important aspects of their historical development. Students will gain an understanding of the relationships among the Slavic languages and their place in the larger Indo-European family, and of typologically important characteristics of the contemporary Slavic linguistic systems. Data from Slavic languages have played an important role in theoretical investigations of phonology, morphology, and syntax, and specific features of individual languages will be investigated in more depth to expand students understanding of these fields. Sociolinguistic issues such as the relationship of language and national identity, language standardization processes, language contact, and language variation and change will be explored in the Slavic context. Students will be evaluated on the basis of oral presentations, written assignments, and tests, as well as their active participation in class discussions.
Topical Outline
Following is a representative outline of topics and possible readings. The actual choice and sequencing of materials may vary. Slavic settlement in Europe, the life of the ancient Slavs based on linguistic evidence, the geographical location of the modern Slavic languages. Slavic writing systems and early Slavic texts; the Old Church Slavic language. Slavic languages as members of the Indo-European family, the Balto-Slavic problem. From proto-Slavic to Common Slavic and beyond; the differentiation of the Slavic languages into southern, western, and eastern groups. Survey of the modern Slavic languages and important grammatical features of each. Topics in Slavic phonology (a limited number of topics will be chosen for more in-depth study, based on the interests of students and the instructor); e.g., syllable structure, vowel/zero alternations, suprasegmental features, vowel reduction, palatalization. Topics in Slavic morpho-syntax (a limited number of topics will be chosen for more in-depth study, based on the interests of students and the instructor); e.g., word order, clitics, numeral constructions, agreement, definiteness, verbal aspect. Topics in the sociolinguistics of Slavic languages (a limited number of topics will be chosen for more in-depth study, based on the interests of students and the instructor); e.g., standard and non-standard varieties; language and national identity; language contact and the Balkan Sprachbund; language attrition and language death.
Syllabus