Microvariaton and grammatical theory

Location: Meertens Institute, Amsterdam (Keizerszaal)

Course Description: With a few exceptions, work on language variation within generative grammar has often been directed towards the macrovariation we find between languages. Yet nothing excludes in principle the possibility of applying the dominant theories of variation (P&P, Minimalism, OT) to microvariation within a given language, such as variation between dialects, social variation and variation between different style levels. Indeed, studying such subtle differences may help us to finetune and extend our theory. In this course, we will look at microvariation from a phonological and from a syntactic point of view; we will discuss the relevance of phenomena such as loanword phonology, syntactic dialect variation, differences between formal and informal speech, hypercorrection and social stratification for linguistic theory.

Literature: Selected articles from J.K. Chambers, Peter Trudgill and Natalie Schilling-Estes (eds.) The Handbook of Language Variation and Change. Oxford, Blackwell will constitute a large part of the reading list for this course.

Schedule:

Date

Topic

Extra

Literature

09.09.2003 Introduction: Types of Language Variation Guest Lecture Caroline Féry (U. Potsdam): Gradient French Liaison Handout

16.09.2003 Phonology I: intraspeaker variation Arto Antilla. 2002. Variation and Phonological Theory. In: J.K. Chambers, Peter Trudgill and Natalie Schilling-Estes (eds.) The Handbook of Language Variation and Change. Oxford, Blackwell, pp. 206-243.
Marc van Oostendorp. 1997. Style Levels in Conflict Resolution. In: Frans Hinskens, Roeland van Hout, Leo Wetzels (eds.) Variation, Change and Phonological Theory. Amsterdam, John Benjamins, pp. 207-229.

23.09.2003 Phonology II: language contact Birgit Alber. 2001. Regional variation at edges: glottal stop epenthesis and dissimilation in Standard and Southern varieties of German. Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft. Online version available at ROA.

30.09.2003 Phonology III: interspeaker variation Birgit Alber. 2001. Regional variation at edges: glottal stop epenthesis and dissimilation in Standard and Southern varieties of German. Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft. Online version available at ROA.

07.10.2003 No Class

14.10.2003 Syntax I

21.10.2003 Syntax II

28.10.2003 Perception of Dialects & Language Attitudes

04.11.2002 Profiling of Language Variants

11.11.2002 Fieldwork

18.11.2002

25.11.2002

2.12.2003

9.12.2003 Student presentations

Date	Topic	Extra	Literature
09.09.2003	Introduction: Types of Language Variation	Guest Lecture Caroline Féry (U. Potsdam): Gradient French Liaison	Handout
16.09.2003	Phonology I: intraspeaker variation		Arto Antilla. 2002. Variation and Phonological Theory. In: J.K. Chambers, Peter Trudgill and Natalie Schilling-Estes (eds.) The Handbook of Language Variation and Change. Oxford, Blackwell, pp. 206-243. Marc van Oostendorp. 1997. Style Levels in Conflict Resolution. In: Frans Hinskens, Roeland van Hout, Leo Wetzels (eds.) Variation, Change and Phonological Theory. Amsterdam, John Benjamins, pp. 207-229.
23.09.2003	Phonology II: language contact		Birgit Alber. 2001. Regional variation at edges: glottal stop epenthesis and dissimilation in Standard and Southern varieties of German. Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft. Online version available at ROA.
30.09.2003	Phonology III: interspeaker variation		Birgit Alber. 2001. Regional variation at edges: glottal stop epenthesis and dissimilation in Standard and Southern varieties of German. Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft. Online version available at ROA.
07.10.2003	No Class
14.10.2003	Syntax I
21.10.2003	Syntax II
28.10.2003	Perception of Dialects & Language Attitudes
04.11.2002	Profiling of Language Variants
11.11.2002	Fieldwork
18.11.2002
25.11.2002
2.12.2003
9.12.2003	Student presentations