Historical Linguistics

Description from DukeHub

This course introduces students to diachronic linguistics, the historical development of language change over time, specifically examining the internal mechanisms and external influences involved in linguistic change. Students will examine change at various levels of language: phonetic and phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and lexical, and look at the explanations of such change. Students will learn the core methodologies of historical linguistics, especially the comparative method, and apply it to a wide variety of languages.

Skills

• languagesdescription: "linguistics" and 2 more

AI-resilient: 0 of 5 0/5

• No: Physical, lab or field work
• No: Live work with people
• No: Judgment someone is accountable for
• No: A craft you practice with your hands or body
• No: Small, in-person format

The checks lean on Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025), which found generative AI applies least to physical work and hands-on work with people. A signal, not a promise. How the score works

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