History of Latin

This course examines the phonological and morphological development of the Latin language from Indo-European to Vulgar Latin.  That development is studied both for its own sake and as a point of departure for introducing linguistic concepts useful for the analysis of other layers of language and of aspects of literary texts.  Discussion of major topics in phonology and morphology will alternate with close examination of sample or otherwise relevant texts and lexical families.  Major topics are: the principles of historical and comparative linguistics; the development of the Latin sound inventory; Latin and its sister languages; the creation of the Latin nominal and verbal systems; (some of) the varieties of classical Latin; and the influence of Greek on Latin. B. Krostenko. Autumn.