Course title:
Historical-comparative linguistics – on the material from Balto-Slavic languages
Course code: PSL216
Course status: Elective
Course leader: Ranko Matasović
Course instructor:
Language of instruction: English
Total hours: 8S
Form of instruction: Lecture
ECTS credits: 4
Course content by topics:
- Classification of Balto-Slavic languages; 2. Arguments in favour of the Balto-Slavic hypothesis;
- Genetic division of the Slavic languages; 4. The problem of South Slavic and Central South Slavic unity; 5. Reconstruction of the proto-Slavic phonological system; 6. Reconstruction of the Balto-Slavic and proto-Slavic accentuation; 7. Selected topics from proto-Slavic noun morphology; 8. Selected topics from proto-Slavic verb morphology
Learning outcomes at course level:
- To analyze and interpret linguistic data from Balto-Slavic languages using the acquired method of historical comparative linguistics; 2. To explain the genetic division of Balto-Slavic languages using the precisely elaborated method of shared innovations; 3. To critically evaluate linguistics literature from the field of comparative linguistics
Learning outcomes at programme level:
| IU1 | IU2 | IU3 | IU4 | IU5 | IU6 | IU7 | IU8 |
| x | x | x | x |
Reading list:
Ranko Matasović, Poredbenopovijesna gramatika hrvatskoga jezika, Matica hrvatska, Zagreb
2008.; Milan Mihaljević, Slavenska poredbena gramatika, prvi dio, Školska knjiga, Zagreb 2002. Assessment of student achievement: Course attendance
Quality assurance mechanism: student survey
Studied linguistics and philosophy in the University of Zagreb, where he graduated in 1990. He received his M.A. from the University of Zagreb in 1992 and his Ph. D. thesis from the same university in 1995. His mentor was Radoslav Katičić. In 1996 he became Assistant Professor in that department, in 2000 he became Associate Professor, and in 2004 Full Professor (with tenure since 2009).
He was a guest researcher in the University of Vienna in 1993 (his host was Heiner Eichner) and in Oxford University in 1995 (his host was Anna Morpurgo Davies). He was a Fulbright Fellow in the University of Wisconsin (Madison) in 1997-1998 (his academic host was Andrew Sihler) and a Humboldt Fellow in University of Bonn in 2002-2003 (his host was Stefan Zimmer). In the summer semester of 2008, he was a guest researcher in Leiden University, and in the summer of 2011, he was a guest professor in the University of Georgia at Athens. In the summer semester of 2015 he was a guest of the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig (his host was Martin Haspelmath), and in the winter semester of 2015 he was a guest professor in Heidelberg University. In the summer semester of 2021 he was invited to be a guest professor in Hokkaido University, but his visit had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was a guest researcher in the University of Vienna in 1993 (his host was Heiner Eichner) and in Oxford University in 1995 (his host was Anna Morpurgo Davies). He was a Fulbright Fellow in the University of Wisconsin (Madison) in 1997-1998 (his academic host was Andrew Sihler) and a Humboldt Fellow in University of Bonn in 2002-2003 (his host was Stefan Zimmer). In the summer semester of 2008, he was a guest researcher in Leiden University, and in the summer of 2011, he was a guest professor in the University of Georgia at Athens. In the summer semester of 2015 he was a guest of the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig (his host was Martin Haspelmath), and in the winter semester of 2015 he was a guest professor in Heidelberg University. In the summer semester of 2021 he was invited to be a guest professor in Hokkaido University, but his visit had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.