The course investigates semantic change in language history, in particular in the domain of functional words and morphemes. How does a verb come to be used as a modal or auxiliary? How do analytic tense forms arise? How do content words develop into particles, derivational morphems, quantifiers?
In order to understand these processes, we have to take a closer look at the way how sentence meaning is built up from the meanings of its parts, i.e. compositional semantics.
The first part of the course offers a brief recapitulation of core ideas in compositional semantics and generative syntax. Building on previous knowledge of participants, the course aims at providing working knowledge in both frameworks.
The second part of class reviews case studies and the meaning shifts and changes involved. We revisit Traugott’s classical insight that meaning changes can be more complex than just generalization and narrowing, and analyse her theory of generalized invited inferencing in terms of compositional semantics. So far open is the question about restrictions of semantic change. Based on case studies we will attempt to find limits to possible semantic reanalyses.
In the final part of class, participants will present own results on self-chosen projects of examples of language change.
In order to understand these processes, we have to take a closer look at the way how sentence meaning is built up from the meanings of its parts, i.e. compositional semantics.
The first part of the course offers a brief recapitulation of core ideas in compositional semantics and generative syntax. Building on previous knowledge of participants, the course aims at providing working knowledge in both frameworks.
The second part of class reviews case studies and the meaning shifts and changes involved. We revisit Traugott’s classical insight that meaning changes can be more complex than just generalization and narrowing, and analyse her theory of generalized invited inferencing in terms of compositional semantics. So far open is the question about restrictions of semantic change. Based on case studies we will attempt to find limits to possible semantic reanalyses.
In the final part of class, participants will present own results on self-chosen projects of examples of language change.
- Teacher: Regine Eckardt
- TA: Omri Amiraz