Module manager: Dr Pier Pischedda
Email: p.s.pischedda@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| LING2410 | Language Change |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module introduces students to the study of language change. All languages undergo constant change over time, and they do not do so randomly; moreover, they do so in ways that do not hinder communication between language users of different ages. This module provides insights into how this works. It outlines the most frequently observed linguistic changes over time and discusses theories of why these changes occur and others do not. It covers changes in the meanings use of words and phrases, changes in pronunciation, and a range of grammatical changes in a wide range of languages. It focuses on language-internal factors driving these changes, as opposed to factors such as language contact, and shows that most language change happens because of some fundamental properties of human language; because of recurrent patterns of language use in everyday communication; and because of how languages are passed on from generation to generation. Students are expected to have been introduced to linguistics on a Level 1 module in linguistics or English language before enrolling on this module. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
Through lectures, practical workshops and online resources, this module aims to:
(1) acquaint students with crucial questions that studies of language change address: what linguistic changes are observed frequently across languages, how do changes spread throughout speech communities, and what, if anything, causes languages to change in the way they do?
(2) survey recurrent patterns of language change, including sound change, semantic change, morphological change and syntactic change
(3) explore the relationship between language variation and change, and consider the extent to which insights from psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, language acquisition studies and phonetics inform our understanding of how language change works
(4) outline some of the main developments in historical linguistics over the past centuries, and introduce students to recent research through seminar discussions of journal articles
(5) develop students' analysis skills through the practical analysis of patterns of change from a variety of languages
(6) develop students' communication and research skills through assessed coursework assignments
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
LO(1) Examine the key questions addressed by studies of language change and the major developments in historical linguistics over the past centuries
LO(2) Analyse recurrent and intricate patterns of language change and data illustrating these patterns LO(3) Undertake independent research in the area of language change, with a particular focus on how language theories interact and intersect.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
SO(4) Analyse complex linguistic data
SO(5) Formulate a coherent and logical argument using effective communication skills
This module comprises a lecture programme and a practical programme, running in parallel. The first half of the lecture programme provides a survey of recurrent types of language change at various levels of linguistic organisation: semantic change, sound change, morphological change and so on. The second half explores the dynamics of language change across different subtypes of change, covering aspects of the diffusion of change, the impact of social factors, the impact of usage-related factors such as word frequency and so on. The practical programme alternates two types of class. One is devoted to the practical analysis of selected data illustrating recurrent types of language change. These classes allow students to practice applying concepts introduced in the lectures to selected language data, in guided exercises. The other type of class is devoted to the discussion of selected research papers in the area of language change. These classes allow students to engage with contemporary linguistic research and deepen their understanding of the concepts introduced in the lectures.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practicals | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 181 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 19 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students are given informal feedback on data-oriented work in the workshop sessions and are given the opportunity to discuss their essay plan with the lecturer before submission. Students will receive specific guidance on how to prepare for the analysis task towards the end of the semester
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 60 |
| Coursework | Analysis Task | 40 |
| 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: 02/05/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team