Jo Willmott

Linguistics essays for Cambridge 1A and 1B classicists

Click the essay title for the reading list

1. Describe an ideal writing system. How do the writing systems of Latin and Greek compare to it?

2. Reading

   W.S. Allen Vox Graeca (3rd ed. 1987)

   W.S. Allen Vox Latina (2nd ed. 1978)

   R. W. Fasold and J Connor-Linton (eds) An Introduction to Language and Linguistics (2006) chap. 1, pp. 13-53

   P. Matthews A Short History of Structural Linguistics (2001) pp. 32-48

   J. Lyons Language and Linguistics (1981) Chap. 3 pp. 84-98

   Clark and Yallop An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology (2nd ed. 1995)

   
   

   In preparing this essay you are expected to come to an understanding of the terminology of phonetics (how sounds are produced etc.) and phonology (phoneme, allophone etc.). You are not expected to parrot Vox Graeca and Latina or to provide a laborious description of each phoneme. A good starting point is to consider the difficulties and advantages of different writing systems you know.

3. Define case syncretism and give examples to illustrate the phenomenon in Latin and Greek.

4. Reading

   B. J. Blake Case (CUP 2nd ed.)

   J. Lyons Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics (CUP 1968) pp. 289-304

   A. L. Sihler New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin (OUP 1995) esp. p. 247 and 248

   
   

   For this essay you will have to think just what we mean by the term 'case'. Consider the situation prior to Latin and Greek, and also comparative evidence from modern languages you know. Rather than just listing the various syncretisms in the two languages, try to account for the different types.

5. Explain the difference between tense and aspect. In what ways do the aspectual systems of Greek and Latin differ from one another? You can draw examples from your set texts.

6. Reading

   * Bakker et al Cambridge Grammar of Classical Greek (2019) Chapter 33

   * B. Comrie Aspect (1976) Chapter 1

   * B. Comrie Tense (1985) pp. 1-23

   * A. L. Sihler New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin (OUP 1995) pp. 442-447

   
   For examples in Greek:

   W.W. Goodwin Syntax of the Moods and Tenses of the Greek Verb (1889) pp. 7-22

   A.Rijksbaron The Syntax and Semantics of the Greek Verb: an Introduction (1984) 1-48

   For examples in Latin:

   B.L.Gildersleeve and G.Lodge Latin Grammar (3rd ed.) (1913)

7. Explain the difference between textual cohesion and coherence, illustrating your answer from this passage of Lysias [pdf].

8. Reading

   Brown & Yule Discourse Analysis (CUP 1983) Chapter 6

9. How and why do writings systems evolve? Answer with reference to Greek and Latin writing systems.

10. Reading

    F. Coulmas Writing Systems. An Introduction to their linguistic analysis, Cambridge 2003 (esp. Chapter 10)

    H. Rogers Writing Systems A Linguistic Approach, Blackwell 2005 (esp. Chapter 14)

    B. Trigger ‘Writing systems: a case study in cultural evolution’ in Stephen D. Houston The First Writing: Script Invention as History and Process, Cambridge 2004

    For information/illustration on scripts:

    A. Robinson, The Story of Writing: Alphabets, hieroglyphs and pictograms, London 2007 (New edition)

    J.T. Hooker, Ancient writing from cuneiform to the alphabet, London 1990;

    P.T. Daniels and W. Bright (eds.) The world’s writing systems. Oxford / New York: 1996.

11. Why is the language of Homer termed a Kunstsprache? How is a Kunstsprache different from a spoken dialect?

12. Reading

    G. Horrocks 1980 'The antiquity of the Greek epic tradition. Some new evidence' Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society 26 1-11.

    S. Colvin 2007 A Historical Greek Reader p.49f and p.192f (with references to other sections).

    G. Horrocks 1997, 'Homer's dialect' in A New Companion to Homer, (edd. I. Morris and B. Powell, pp. 193-217)

    R. Janko, 1985 The Iliad: A Commentary (vol. 4 introduction)

    G. S. Kirk, 1985 The Iliad: A Commentary (vol. 1 introduction)

    A. B. Lord, 2000 The Singer of Tales (2nd ed.)

13. Write a linguistic analysis on Iliad 24, 1-13.

14. Reading

    G. Horrocks 1980 'The antiquity of the Greek epic tradition. Some new evidence', Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society 26 1-11.

    G. Horrocks 1997 'Homer's dialect' in A New Companion to Homer, (edd. I. Morris and B. Powell, pp. 193-217)

    S. Colvin 2007 A Historical Greek Reader p.49f and p.192f (with references to other sections).

    R. Janko, 1985 The Iliad: A Commentary (vol. 4 introduction)

    G. S. Kirk, 1985 The Iliad: A Commentary (vol. 1 introduction)

    A. B. Lord, 2000 The Singer of Tales (2nd ed.)

15. Define the terms 'constituency' and 'dependency', discussing the strengths and weaknesses of both methods of syntactic analysis. Use these Herodotean sentences [pdf] to illustrate your answer.

16. Reading

    P. H. Matthews Syntax (1981), esp. chs. 4-6

    Further reading

    R. van der Valin An Introduction to Syntax(2001), esp chs. 3 & 4

    A. Radford Minimalist Syntax (2004)

    G. C. Horrocks Generative Grammar (1997)

    N. Burton-Roberts Analysing Sentences (1986)

    
    

    The most important thing is to think about the Greek sentence. The Matthews will be sufficient to give you an idea about how best to do this.

    As the models are defined in the reading in terms of English rather than Greek syntax there will be certain differences you will have to come up with your own definitions for, which you can discuss your reasoning for. Diagrams will be helpful: you may want to use tree drawing software from phpsyntaxtree.

17. 'Sound Change is regular and exceptionless'; 'Every word has its own history.' How can these two statements be reconciled?

18. Reading

    H. Schendl (2001) Historical Linguistics. Oxford.

    R.L. Trask (1996) Historical Linguistics Chapters 2, 3, 4. Discussion of Latin rhotacism on pp. 78-82

    Lyle Campbell (1998) Historical Linguistics. An Introduction. Chapter 2 on sound change, and Chapter 4 on analogy. NB discussion of Latin rhotacism on p.96

    
    

    Hint

    The development of *s in Latin and in Greek would be a good example to look at sound change and analogy. But you can use any other example from lectures etc.