230210 Angewandte Linguistik: Contrastive Language Studies (BS) (WiSe 2004/2005)

This is an intensive course on September 13-22, 9-12.15
In it, I am proposing to deal with selected areas that show significant differences and difficulties between the two languages, English and German.

Topics will include place and geographical names (what are Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Marokko or Nürnberg in English?), semantic/lexical fields (e.g. Fehler/mistake); onomatopoeia (for instance, what words are there in the two languages for sounds that are linked to water, metal, or animals?); form and meaning, i.e. such areas as false (and true) friends (e.g. what is the German for English warehouse, how's it going?), or polysemy and homonymy (e.g. what is the English for German einsteigen, Nebel, Rezept?).

In syntax, we will deal amongst other things with such examples as all her former kindnesses or the boat sleeps six, which are little known to German students. Another area is word class differences in realizing ideas, e.g. he happened to find her in the library ? er traf sie zufälling in der Bibiothek. We will also devote a session to the rendering of the English aspect into German.

To round off this section, there will be some integrative sessions, in which we will practice translation from the German/French into English.
Last, but by no means least, we will look at three areas which are central to successful cultural understanding and interaction: word play, everyday conversation and politeness.
There are 25 places on this course for advanced students (BA-course: students in the Profilphase; others: students in the Hauptstudium). BA students can earn 3 LP for a complete set (portfolio) of course work. They can in addtion gain 3 LP for a long essay.

Interested students should register with me in person not later than 6/7 July 2004.