Historical comparative linguistics is part of the modular Sociolinguistics / Historical comparative linguistics course (12 CFU), for which it covers 6 CFU.

Overall, the course has the following learning objectives:

- Detailed knowledge of a selected nucleus of linguistic phenomena of ancient and contemporary Indo-European languages.

- Development of analytic skills for linguistic data on multiple levels: (1) on the first level, the course aims to develop an ability to understand the comparative method to ancient Indo-European languages and apply it to the reconstruction of their shared historical origin to describe the evolution of grammars, the apparent similarities and differences among them, and the possible and impossible patterns of language changes; (2) on a second level, the learning objective is the development of an understanding of the rules and constraints that govern the theoretical and empirical analysis of synchronic variation in its relationship with the general mechanisms of diachronic change; the analysis will mostly focus on sound change phenomena in contemporary Indo-European languages. 

As a consequence of such a two-level approach, the students will be able to connect the analysis of the linguistic past to the comprehension of the forms of the socio-geographical stratification of languages as attested nowadays, and vice-versa, also putting forth hypotheses on the former based on the observation of the latter.

The course is developed around two subject areas: (1) Sound change, and (2) Verb and nound categories.

(1) Sound change:

reconstruction of the Indo-European phonological system: sound change laws, velars and labiovelars, Ablaut, laryngeal theory, Indo-European resonants, Indo-European vowel system; sound change in ancient Germanic languages: first and second "Lautverschiebung"; sound change in Latin: rhoticization and the notion of analogy; the origins of comparative grammar; the Neogrammarians' model of sound change; the development of language atlases and linguistic geography, areal norms and the notion of isogloss.

(2) Verb and noun categories:

desinenze personali (cenni), le categorie grammaticali di genere e numero in indoeuropeo; il sistema verbale indoeuropeo: dall'aspettualità alla temporalità, desinenze primarie e secondarie, formazioni tematiche e atematiche, radici/temi del presente, dell'aoristo e del perfetto, le desinenze personali del verbo (cenni), il perfetto indoeuropeo e l'ipotesi azionale, i modi (cenni).

the Indo-European root; the structure of the Indo-European word; Indo-European nominal inflexion, nominal personal endings (outline), the grammatical categories of gender and number in Indo-European; the Indo-European verbal system: from aspect to time in morphological encoding; primary and secondary endings, thematic and athematic formations, roots/themes of the present, the aorist and the perfect, verbal personal endings (outline), the Indo-European perfect and the actional hypothesis, moods (outline).

Knowledge and understanding: Ability to deal with synchronic and diachronic data from ancient and modern, known and unknown languages, and providing an interpretation according to the analytical categories of general and historical linguistics. Knowledge of the major phonological and morphological characteristics of Indo-European languages as a group and their differences. A general understanding of of the fundamental mechanisms that regulate language change and of some of the most relevant theoretical approaches to the study of language change.

Applying knowledge and understanding: Reconstructing anterior linguistic stages and describing cross-linguistic variation in grammars. Ability to connect synchronically observable variation to attested or hypothesized diachronic changes. Ability to put forth hypotheses about language evolution starting from the observation of social variation.

Making judgments: Ability to reflect in a critical and independet way on linguistic phenomena from ancient and modern languages; ability to identify the grammatical categories that are relevant to the explanation of a given linguistic phenomenon; recognizing the social and extra-linguistic dimensions that impact on the diffusion of potential language changes.

Communication: Mastery of the expressive means of language sciences for the understanding of specialized linguistics texts and for the elaboration of short argumentative essays on topics dealt with in the classes.

Lifelong learning skills: Acquisition of technical disciplinary information and capacities of formal reasoning that allow (i) the development of advanced analytical skills in the domain of the history and intepretation of literary and linguistic  heritage (ancient as well as contemporary texts, written as well as oral), (ii) the acquisition of transversal skills that are necessary to the identification and managing of the many faces of human difference (e.g. linguistic, social, cultural). 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Optional self-evaluation activities will be carried out to allow the students an evaluation of their own knowledge and the effectiveness of their method of study in relation to the program carried out up to that point. Such self-evaluation activities will not be awarded any score by the teacher and their outcome will have no impact on the final evaluation.

Teaching

Lectures, optionally in English; classroom exercises. 

Innovative teaching methods

Self-assessment exercises; group seminars.

Course books

The following textbooks are to be considered as further instruments of individual reflection and systematization of notions and problems that are dealt with during the classes; they do NOT replace the study of the learning materials that are provided through the Moodle platform (PPT presentations used by the teacher during the lessons).

(1) Fortson B.W., Indo-European Language and Culture, Second Edition: Chapter 3; sections 3.10-3.11, 3.22 - 3.25, 3.28 - 3.29, 3.38 - 3.40, 3.42 and 3.43 are excluded; Chapter 4 with the exclusion of 4.3, 4.6-4.7, 4.9-4.11, 4.17, 4.19; Chapter 5 with the exclusion of 5.10, 5.14-5.18, 5.23-5.24, 5.26-5.27, 5.31-5.35, 5.37-5.42, 5.48-5.50, 5.54-5.55. COPIES PROVIDED ON THE MOODLE PLATFORM.

(2) Luraghi S. & Olita A. (a cura di) (2006) Linguaggio e genere, Carocci: pages 15-27, 54-65, 89-93, 95-97 (§5.1.4).

(3) OPTIONAL: S. Luraghi, Introduzione alla linguistica storica, Carocci. - only the sections that deal with the topics of the course -

Assessment

For the Historical Comparative Linguistics course (6 CFU), a written test lasting about 30 minutes (open and closed questions on the program's topics) is planned. This test includes structured tests (to assess declarative knowledge and the general understanding of concepts) and semi-structured and unstructured tests (open procedural tasks) to assess the ability to reproduce the procedures of linguistic analysis proposed in the classroom. Semi- and non-structured tests also allow for verifying the students' ability to coordinate different notions and analytical skills that are necessary to solve simple problems from unseen linguistic data. The learning outcomes will then be measured by attributing an overall judgment that considers not only the mastery of the topics covered and the ability to recall or recognise them but also the ability to apply the procedures and elaborate ideas and original solutions about real linguistic phenomena. If requested by the student, a short oral interview will also be possible, looking through the results of the written test, commenting on eventual errors, motivating the choices made, completing missing parts, etc.

The final score, out of thirty, considers all the aspects above. Tests in which the students will show - in addition to basic declarative knowledge and a general understanding of concepts - the ability to apply the correct methodology to the analysis of new linguistic data and the capacity to solve general linguistic problems will obtain an evaluation of excellence. Tests in which the students only show basic declarative knowledge and a general understanding of concepts will obtain a pass mark.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Individual study.

Please note that the course's programme is the same for both attending and non-attending students. Achieving a full understanding of the program topics requires a greater commitment, in terms of individual study, for those who have not attended the lessons. It is therefore recommended that extensive and careful use of the materials included on the Moodle platform be made, particularly for non-attending students.

Course books

See above the section for attending students.

Assessment

See above the section for attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

In compliance with the University guidelines, the course takes place face-to-face. Attendance and active class participation is strongly recommended. Using the Moodle environment is essential for sharing information and learning materials, as well as for ongoing exercises and other forms of self-assessment.

Some lessons by guest teachers or the course teacher may be in English.

Foreign students (Erasmus+ or other exchange programmes) are invited to contact the teacher if they have preferences for lessons in English.

It will be possible to take the exams with the program indicated on this page until the last useful session of the 2024/2025 academic year (January/February 2026). Subsequently, it will be necessary to refer to the program provided for the following academic years.