Official Course Description
Semantics is the study of the meaning of signs, historical semantics deals with the change of meaning. Accordingly, it investigates the conditions, patterns and media of communication and the production of meaning in historical societies; it focuses on how modes of use have developed, unfolded, changed, whether they have disappeared or remained constant.
According to Fritz (2006, p. 86), "questions of historical semantics [...] are dealt with in diverse research contexts, e.g. in etymology, historical lexicology, loanword research, term history, catchword research, technical language research, dialectology, sociolinguistics, linguistic language criticism, literary history and cultural history."
In the seminar, the basics and methods of historical semantics will be worked out using concrete examples, such as the history of salutation, kinship terms, swearing and cursing, colour designations, and many more. In particular, we will look at the history of language, i.e. Middle High German. The seminar is also suitable for dictionary work and the analysis of historical texts or 'alterities'.
Semantics is the study of the meaning of signs, historical semantics deals with the change of meaning. Accordingly, it investigates the conditions, patterns and media of communication and the production of meaning in historical societies; it focuses on how modes of use have developed, unfolded, changed, whether they have disappeared or remained constant.
According to Fritz (2006, p. 86), "questions of historical semantics [...] are dealt with in diverse research contexts, e.g. in etymology, historical lexicology, loanword research, term history, catchword research, technical language research, dialectology, sociolinguistics, linguistic language criticism, literary history and cultural history."
In the seminar, the basics and methods of historical semantics will be worked out using concrete examples, such as the history of salutation, kinship terms, swearing and cursing, colour designations, and many more. In particular, we will look at the history of language, i.e. Middle High German. The seminar is also suitable for dictionary work and the analysis of historical texts or 'alterities'.
- Lehrende: Andrea Rapp
Semester: WT 2022/23