Gwybodaeth am Fodiwlau
Module Identifier
EL39920
Module Title
Introduction to Historical Linguistics: Languages in Europe
Academic Year
2026/2027
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Exclusive (Any Acad Year)
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Independent research project | 25% |
| Semester Assessment | Timed assessment Timed online tests. 120 Minutes | 75% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Timed assessment Timed online tests. 120 Minutes | 75% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Independent research project | 25% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of essential concepts and tools in the field of historical linguistics.
Demonstrate an ability to use these concepts and tools to analyse language data.
Develop a critical understanding of common biases and pitfalls in the study of languages and their history.
Engage in meaningful discussions and debate issues related to the course.
Identify and use relevant subject-specific electronic and library resources.
Present their ideas in a clear and coherent manner both orally and in writing.
Brief description
This module, taught in English, is an introduction to essential concepts in linguistics and historical linguistics, through the study of some elements in the evolution of languages in Western Europe from the Late Roman Empire to the Early Middle Ages. The module explores language change, language variation and language contact in the context of the evolution from Latin to the Romance languages, as well as influences on and from Germanic languages.
The module will help students understand the evolution of the languages they study in the department.
The module will help students understand the evolution of the languages they study in the department.
Content
Topics include:
- an introduction to foundational knowledge and tools necessary to the study of language and language change in synchrony and diachrony (eg the difference between “langue”
and “parole”, phonology and phonetic transcription, morphology, syntax, the difference between spoken and written language and their implication for historical linguistics)
- an introduction to themes in the study of language variation and language change in synchrony and diachrony (eg vowel changes and morphological changes from Late Latin to Early Romance)
- the sociolinguistic and linguistic aspects of language and population contacts in the context of the Roman empire, Germanic “invasions” / migrations and Arab influence: diglossia and bilingualism, pidgins and creoles, lexical borrowings, language register and class,
etc.
- reflections on the study of languages and its resources and means: what type and state of a given language can be studied? What is a “corpus”? What corpora are available? What kind of information can, or cannot, be gleaned from a given corpus? What biases should linguists be aware of?
- an introduction to foundational knowledge and tools necessary to the study of language and language change in synchrony and diachrony (eg the difference between “langue”
and “parole”, phonology and phonetic transcription, morphology, syntax, the difference between spoken and written language and their implication for historical linguistics)
- an introduction to themes in the study of language variation and language change in synchrony and diachrony (eg vowel changes and morphological changes from Late Latin to Early Romance)
- the sociolinguistic and linguistic aspects of language and population contacts in the context of the Roman empire, Germanic “invasions” / migrations and Arab influence: diglossia and bilingualism, pidgins and creoles, lexical borrowings, language register and class,
etc.
- reflections on the study of languages and its resources and means: what type and state of a given language can be studied? What is a “corpus”? What corpora are available? What kind of information can, or cannot, be gleaned from a given corpus? What biases should linguists be aware of?
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Adaptability and resilience | Students will explore historical examples of how issues are overcome, both in the field of linguistics (studying a language in the face of scant remaining evidence) and in human communication across different languages in contact. The module will focus on the adaptability and resilience of human societies, customs and languages over centuries, offering insights that students can apply to their own life and experience. |
| Creative Problem Solving | Problem solving will be one of the central goals of the module. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; consider case studies; reason logically; apply theoretical models; examine evidence; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Critical and analytical thinking | The module cultivates an ability to examine points of view critically and to detect common biases in the study of languages, and how to overcome them. Students will be expected to question their own assumptions about language, language change and language variation. They will develop their communicative and cultural awareness. |
| Professional communication | Students will demonstrate competence in both verbal and written communication and literacy. Students will be expected to present their ideas verbally and to support these ideas with reasonable and logical arguments. Students will be expected to demonstrate the effective expression of ideas and similarly effective use of language in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication. |
| Reflection | Students will be invited to reflect on their own experience and practice of language contact and language change, and of successful or unsuccessful intercultural communication. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Through the study of specific skills such as phonological / phonetic transcription, application of the rules of language change, observation of historical data, students will cultivate attention to detail and intellectual rigour |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6