Englisches Seminar
Universität Münster

SPRACHWISSENSCHAFTLICHES HAUPTSEMINAR:
THE OLD ENGLISH LEXICON AND ITS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

SS 06
Mo 10-12, Room 401
Oliver M. Traxel


This seminar deals with the earliest recorded words in the English language. The first part focuses on various aspects of Old English lexicology. We will examine principles of word formation, in particular affixation, compounding and conversion. Another field to be covered is the extent of foreign influence on the Old English word stock, mainly from Latin and Old Norse. Lexical variation will also be discussed, with specific regard to dialectal vocabulary and text types.

The second part of this seminar concerns the use of the native word stock in later periods of English language history. We will establish which lemmata continued to be used and for how long, and which were lost. Possible reasons for word loss and the nature of replacement terms will also be discussed. Furthermore, we will attempt to reconstruct Old English words that are not attested in extant sources, but must have existed, with the help of Middle English evidence.

Students are expected to work with computerised resources throughout the semester, such as electronic dictionaries, in particular the Oxford English Dictionary, and the Middle English Dictionary, as well as the Dictionary of Old English Corpus, all of which are available on the university network. Participants must have some previous knowledge of Old English, and must have successfully completed either a Sprachhistorischer Grundkurs or a relevant Proseminar.

It is essential that candidates will have visited the following links to get a further impression of the course:

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