| Introduction |
The course presents an introduction to Linguistic Typology. Typology deals with identifying and explaining the shared properties of languages of the world which are not attributable to historical inheritance or areal contact. It lies at the centre of scientific research on human language because it directly addresses the question which many consider to be the most important in the field: why and how are all languages similar and why and how do they differ from each other?
Any aspect of human language can be studied typologically, so typology is a discipline which extends across all branches of linguistics. The focus of this course will be on semantic and pragmatic typology. The aim of the course is to show that constraints on linguistic variation are not random: they follow predictable patterns which require explanation. Explanatory principles are typically derived from assumptions about language development, language acquisition and human cognition, as well as functional principles that drive language use. They are therefore crucial to our understanding of language in its relation to human nature, history and culture.
The course requires no previous knowledge of the field, but is essential for any student wishing to acquire understanding of human languages and the field of linguistics.
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