Historical Linguistics
Historical linguistics is the study of the origin and development of language by examining the changes taken place through time, and the evolution of language in relation to adaption of other words in other languages, as well as the change in sound and form. According to Theordora Bynon, historical linguistics examines the way languages maintain their structure over time, and examines the diachronic features of language. Descriptive linguistics eliminates the factor of time and studies the synchronic aspect of language. (Bynon 1977: 1) The change in sound is called a phonological change. Changes in form called morphological changes. There are three main explanations for the source of change in language. According to Winfred Lehman they are: 1) influence of language on another, resulting in borrowed terms, 2) the imperfect learning of language by children, and 3) the effects of the system or systems of individual languages. (Lehman 17) Historical linguists also investigate two main questions about language, which are 'What are its origin?' and 'Why are there so many languages rather than one?' (Lehmann 1973: 18) Etymology: William Dwight Whitney states that “etymology, the historical study of individual words, is the foundation and substructure of all investigations of language” (1892: 55)
Written by Sitha Im 2009