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Questions and Answers
What does historical linguistics seek to explain?
What does historical linguistics seek to explain?
- Processes and causes of language changes (correct)
- The universal grammar model
- The role of cultural influences in language
- The effects of modernization on language
What can lead to the formation of dialects from a proto-language?
What can lead to the formation of dialects from a proto-language?
- Language death
- Language acquisition
- Socialinguistic factors (correct)
- Intergenerational language retention
Which of the following languages is NOT identified as related to Sanskrit by Sir William Jones?
Which of the following languages is NOT identified as related to Sanskrit by Sir William Jones?
- Greek
- Mandarin (correct)
- Latin
- Old Persian
What was a key observation made by Sir William Jones regarding Sanskrit?
What was a key observation made by Sir William Jones regarding Sanskrit?
What aspect of language change encompasses the impact of different communities interacting?
What aspect of language change encompasses the impact of different communities interacting?
Which factor is primarily concerned with the meaning of words changing over time?
Which factor is primarily concerned with the meaning of words changing over time?
Which type of change is NOT typically a focus of historical linguistics?
Which type of change is NOT typically a focus of historical linguistics?
What did the discovery of Indo-European languages highlight about linguistic relationships?
What did the discovery of Indo-European languages highlight about linguistic relationships?
Which languages are indicated to share a common ancestor?
Which languages are indicated to share a common ancestor?
What does Grimm's Law describe?
What does Grimm's Law describe?
What is a cognate in linguistics?
What is a cognate in linguistics?
Which aspect of language is primarily affected by borrowing?
Which aspect of language is primarily affected by borrowing?
Which sound change does Grimm’s Law specifically highlight?
Which sound change does Grimm’s Law specifically highlight?
What was a significant change in Old English due to external influences?
What was a significant change in Old English due to external influences?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as evidence of the Indo-Europeans' domestication?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as evidence of the Indo-Europeans' domestication?
What is the reason relatedness is better established on the basis of lexicon rather than syntax?
What is the reason relatedness is better established on the basis of lexicon rather than syntax?
Around what time do experts believe the parent language of Indo-Europeans split?
Around what time do experts believe the parent language of Indo-Europeans split?
What occurred in Middle English due to the Norman invasion?
What occurred in Middle English due to the Norman invasion?
What technological advancement is indicated by the cognate *kwekwlo?
What technological advancement is indicated by the cognate *kwekwlo?
Which of the following words represents a Germanic origin in English?
Which of the following words represents a Germanic origin in English?
During which period did the Indo-Europeans begin spreading into Western Europe?
During which period did the Indo-Europeans begin spreading into Western Europe?
During what period was English primarily Germanic in appearance?
During what period was English primarily Germanic in appearance?
The rule 'l → j / C_V' exemplifies which linguistic process?
The rule 'l → j / C_V' exemplifies which linguistic process?
Which of the following is a method of language change in linguistics?
Which of the following is a method of language change in linguistics?
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Study Notes
Language Change
- Languages constantly change, and historical linguistics aims to understand and explain these changes.
- It explores various types of language change and uses methods to reconstruct language history.
- Language change can result from various factors:
- Learning new languages
- Contact between different languages
- Social influences
- Language variations
- Meaning shifts
- Sound changes
- Language policies
Indo-European
- Sir William Jones discovered the relationship between Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Gothic, and Celtic languages.
- He observed similarities in their verb roots and grammar structures, suggesting a common origin.
- This discovery signifies the relationship between these languages within a larger family known as Indo-European.
Cognates and Relatedness
- Cognates are words in different languages believed to share a common ancestor.
- For example, Sanskrit "dvaú" (two) and Greek "dúo" (two) are cognates.
- Simply observing similar-looking words is not enough to determine language relatedness.
- Regular sound correspondences, like those described in Grimm's Law, provide stronger evidence of relatedness.
Sound Correspondences
- Grimm's Law describes systematic changes in consonants between Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, and Germanic languages.
- For example, "p" in Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit corresponds to "f" in Germanic languages.
- These systematic changes support the idea of a shared ancestor and historical change.
Indo-European Culture
- Indo-European speakers likely domesticated animals like dogs, horses, cows, and pigs.
- They cultivated grain and had knowledge of the wheel.
- Evidence for these practices comes from cognate words for these items in various Indo-European languages.
Good and Bad Methods in Historical Linguistics
- All aspects of language are subject to change, including vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and sentence structure.
- Vocabulary is often a better indicator of language relatedness than syntax.
- Borrowing words between languages can complicate the picture of relatedness and create a false impression of shared origins.
History of English
- Old English (450-1100 AD): Germanic influences, Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, verb-second movement, and case marking.
- Middle English (1100-1500 AD): Norman Conquest of England, loss of verb-second movement and case marking, French influence on vocabulary.
- French influence on vocabulary can be seen in words like "pork," "beef," "veal," "mutton," and "venison" compared to Germanic equivalents like "swine/sow," "cow," "calf," "sheep," and "deer."
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