Module manager: Dr Maroula Perisanidi
Email: M.Perisanidi@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as an Elective
How do we access the past of cultures whose languages are very different from our own? And what possibilities for historical investigation do differences in language open up? This module will help you to understand the power and the pitfalls of studying historical texts originally composed in languages unfamiliar to you, and help you develop a can-do attitude to studying such texts. The module uses the history of our common language, English, as a shared reference point for learning to work with medieval languages, but also gives you the space and structure to focus on developing your understanding of any languages appropriate for your own research. You will identify the key linguistic research aids in your area (such as dictionaries, grammars, electronic corpora, and artificial-intelligence translators), and learn how to engage with unfamiliar languages via fundamental, transferable concepts in historical linguistics (morphology, phonology, semantics, word-borrowing, multilingualism, and the reconstruction of prehistoric stages of languages). You will also explore what editions and translations are, how they mediate and shape historical texts, and how you can make critical use of these resources even without extensive knowledge of their source languages.
The aims of this module are to encourage you to research cultures whose texts are in languages unfamiliar to you, teaching you strategies so that you can gain confidence for tackling linguistic challenges encountered during research, using both traditional and electronic research-aids. The module develops a foundational understanding of historical linguistics and collaboratively discusses challenges, issues, and ways forward. The seminars will be based around individual and group activities that are both theoretical (such as studying key words and concepts), and practical (such as using dictionaries and electronic resources critically and comparing translations).
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Identify languages of interest and the key scholarly resources for those languages
2. Critically investigate language as evidence for the past by navigating scholarly sources.
3. Apply conceptual fundamentals of historical linguistics
4. Critically assess editions and translations of historical texts originally composed in unfamiliar languages.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Select, use and adapt digital tools and resources to achieve specific goals (Digital Skills)
6. Evaluate similarities and respect similarities and differences across different international cultures or groups of people (Work Ready Skills)
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Private study hours | 280 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 300 | ||
The portfolio will be based on tasks and activities done in class, including individual presentations on which you will receive individual feedback from the tutor at the time. You will also be able to submit a draft plan of your chosen portfolio tasks for feedback.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Portfolio | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 20/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team