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The topic of this seminar will be the possible effects of language contact especially on form and interpretation. We will start out from general considerations (e.g. questions such as: in which ways, under what kinds of linguistic and demographic conditions, and to what degree can contact with other languages influence the shape of a language? Cf. D. Winford’s textbook monograph on linguistic contact phenomena, but also additional approaches - a full reference list will be distributed during the first session). A particular focus will be set on varieties of English such as Irish English, but also on the very nature of mainstream English itself. We will thus centrally tackle the issue in which ways and areas exactly the grammar of English can be considered the result of language contact. |
