ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 51 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 9 Interactive Classroom: 12 Total: 75
Use languages Spanish, Galician, English
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: English and German Philology
Areas: English Philology
Center Faculty of Philology
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
The aim of this module is to familiarize students with the major issues and methodologies of variationist research as well as to equip them with the necessary skills and tools to identify, analyse and interpret particular cases of variation and/or linguistic change at the different levels of analysis (phonological, morphosyntactic, lexical and semantico-pragmatic).
1. Introducing language variation and change: Linguistic variation as a condition for linguistic change.
2. Basic types of linguistic change: Simplification and elaboration.
3. Factors determining variation and change: Internal and external factors.
4. Materials for the study of variation and change in English. The nature of the evidence and its limitations.
5. Variation and change in the different linguistic components.
6. An overview of approaches to the study of language variation and change.
BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Aitchinson, Jean. 1990. Language Change: Progress or Decay? 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Bergs, Alexander & Laurel J. Brinton (eds.). 2012. English Historical Linguistics. An International Handbook. 2 vols. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
- Brinton, Laurel J. (ed.). 2017. English Historical Linguistics. Approaches and Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Brinton, Laurel J. 2023. Pragmatics in the History of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Brinton, Laurel J. & Leslie K. Arnovick. 2011. The English Language. A Linguistic History. 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Brinton, Laurel J. & Elizabeth C. Traugott. 2005. Lexicalization and Language Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Burridge, Kate & Alexander Bergs. 2017. Understanding Language Change. London: Routledge.
- Campbell, Lyle. 1998. Historical Linguistics. An Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- Chambers, J.K., Peter Trudgill & Natalie Schilling-Estes (eds.). 2013. The Handbook of Language Variation and Change. 2nd edn. London: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Fischer, Olga. 2007. Morphosyntactic Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Hock, Hans Henrich & Brian D. Joseph. 1996. Language History, Language Change and Language Relationship. An Introduction to Historical and Comparative Linguistics. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
- Hogg, Richard & David Denison (eds.). 2006. A History of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Joseph, Brian D. & Richard D. Janda (eds.). 2003. The Handbook of Historical Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Jucker, Andreas H. & Irma Taavitsainen. 2013. English Historical Pragmatics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- Jucker, Andreas H. & Irma Taavitsainen (eds.). 2010. Historical Pragmatics. Berlin & New York: De Gruyter.
- Kay, Christian & Kathryn Allan. 2015. English Historical Semantics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- Kytö, Merja & Päivi Pahta (eds.). 2016. The Cambridge Handbook of English Historical Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Labov, William. 1994. Principles of Linguistic Change. Volume 1: Internal Factors. Oxford: UK & Cambridge USA: Blackwell.
- Labov, William. 2001. Principles of Linguistic Change. Volume 2: External Factors. Oxford: UK & Cambridge USA: Blackwell.
- Lass, Roger. 1997. Historical Linguistics and Language Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Los, Bettelou. 2015. A Historical Syntax of English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- McMahon, April. 1994. Understanding Language Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Minkova, Donka. 2013. A Historical Phonology of English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- Nevalainen, Terttu & Helena Raumolin-Brunberg. 2003. Historical Sociolinguistics. London: Longman.
- Ringe, Don. 2021. A Historical Morphology of English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
- Samuels, Michael L. 1972. Linguistic Evolution, with Special Reference to English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Schendl, Herbert. 2001. Historical Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Trask, Robert Lawrence. 1994. Language Change. London & New York: Routledge.
- Trask, Robert Lawrence. 1996. Historical Linguistics. London: Arnold.
- Traugott, Elizabeth C. & Richard B. Dasher. 2002. Regularity in Semantic Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
Whenever necessary, the list of basic bibliography will be complemented with specialized literature.
Competences (“Memoria del Máster Interuniversitario en Estudios Ingleses Avanzados y sus Aplicaciones, 2ª edición", pp. 6-7: http://www.imaes.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/MEMORIA_ANEXOS-I-II.pdf)
G01 - Ability to delve into those concepts, principles, theories or models related to the various areas of English Studies, as well as to become familiar with the methodology required to solve those problems typical of this field of study.
G02 - Ability to apply the knowledge gained/obtained within the multidisciplinary and mutifaceted/versatile area of English Studies.
G03 - Ability to use the new information and communication technologies (ICTs) efficiently within the realm of English Studies.
G04 - Ability to present experiences, ideas or reports in public, as well as to express informed opinions based on criteria, external rules or personal reflections, for which a sufficient command of the academic and scientific language, both written and oral, will be necessary.
G05 - Abilities to investigate and manage new knowledge and information within the context of English Studies.
G06 - Ability to acquire/achieve critical thinking that will lead students to consider the relevance of the existing research in the fields of study that make up/shape/define English Studies, as well as the relevance of their own investigations.
G07 - Abilities to consolidate and develop the C2 linguistic competence in the spoken and written use of the English language.
G08 - Progressive autonomy in the learning process, personal/individual search for resources and information, by getting access/accessing (to) bibliographical and documentary references on the various areas that make up/define/shape English Studies.
G09 - Ability to carry out research work of an academic nature in the different realms of English Studies.
G10 - Ability to present and defend a research project by making use of the appropriate terminology and resources/tools within the area object of study.
E01 - Knowledge of the main methods of linguistic research.
E02 - Knowledge of the main resources, tools and methods for linguistic research.
E06 - Knowledge of the variation and language change studies in the anglophone world.
This course combines lectures and seminars, together with online coursework and other assignments.
Each student will be assigned a topic for a written paper and an oral presentation.
First opportunity:
1.- 5% Active participation in the sessions. Please note that attendance is compulsory. (Assessed competences: G04, G06, G07)
2.- 45% Exercises. (Assessed competences: G01, G02, G03, G04, G05, G06, G07, G08, E01, E02, E06)
3.- 50% Oral presentation and written paper (1,500 words, excluding references). (Assessed competences: G01, G02, G03, G04, G05, G06, G07, G08, G09, G10, E01, E02, E06)
In order to pass this module, students must obtain at least a mark of 5 (out of 10) in ítems 2 and 3.
Second opportunity:
Students will have to repeat only those parts (exercises and/or paper) in which they did not reach a pass in the first opportunity.
Students officially exempt from class attendance:
Students will have to hand in all course exercises (50%) and submit an essay on a case study (2,000 words excluding references) (50%)
Important notes:
All exercises and tests will be done in English. Overall correctness in language and in the use of formal conventions is indispensable. Therefore, grammatical and orthographic mistakes will be penalized.
Academic misconduct (including cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will not be tolerated and will be penalized according to art. 16 in the "Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión de cualificacións".
- Lectures: 5h (100% attendance)
- In-class interactive seminars: 7h (100% attendance)
- Tutoring: 2h (100% attendance)
- Active participation in online forums: 4h (0% attendance)
- Online self-assessment activities: 2h (0% attendance)
- Assignments and paper writing: 30h (0% attendance)
- Recommended readings and bibliographic search: 25h (0% attendance)
Students are expected to complete all assignments and readings suggested by the lecturers. Students must visit the e-Learning platform for the course regularly and are expected to check their university email on a regular basis: announcements and last-minute changes will be notified via email.
Maria Jose Lopez Couso
Coordinador/a- Department
- English and German Philology
- Area
- English Philology
- Phone
- 881811891
- mjlopez.couso [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
Maria Belen Mendez Naya
- Department
- English and German Philology
- Area
- English Philology
- Phone
- 881811902
- belen.mendez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
| Wednesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 18:15-19:15 | Grupo /CLE_01 | English | C06 |
| 19:15-20:15 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | English | C06 |
| Thursday | |||
| 18:15-19:15 | Grupo /CLE_01 | English | C06 |
| 19:15-20:15 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | English | C06 |
| 05.22.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | C06 |
| 05.22.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | C06 |
| 07.03.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | C06 |
| 07.03.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | C06 |