Investigating the German Language

As taught in Spring Semester 2009-10
Dr Nicola McLelland, School of Modern Languages and Culture
 
Entwicklungen in der deutschen Gegenwartssprache

This 10 credit module will look at some of the ways in which German has been developing in recent years. In particular, we will look at variation and change in sentence structure; ways in which new modes of communication (such as texting, chat rooms and other forms of internet communication) are influencing language use; and the use of particles (little words like doch, mal, schon, etc.). By the end of the module, you will have carried out a small research project that allows you to compare Germans’ actual language use with what the dictionaries, grammar-books and other reference works say.
 
Suitable for study at: undergraduate level 2