LING 334 - Historical Linguistics

This course provides an introduction to the study of language history, spread, and change, and linguistic relatedness. Students will learn about the linguistic, geographic, and sociocultural motivations for language change and engage in two methods of reconstructing words in unattested languages: the comparative method and internal reconstruction. We will also discuss critiques of certain approaches to reconstructing languages at large time depths.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): LING 211, LING 320, or LING 321
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Not offered: 2026-27
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.