Idioms in modern linguistic theories

Goal
The goal of this course is to compare idioms with non-idiomatic, regular constructions, using modern empirical and theoretical approaches, and to provide participants with theoretical and analytic skills in these and related areas.

Work style
Sicne this is an advanced class (Hauptstudium), students are expected to make a large percentage of contributions on their own initiative, as would be expected in research oriented M.A. courses elsewhere. This includes:

• Conducting web research for idoms, linguistic studies of idioms, and tools for idiom analysis such as concordances.
• Compiling your own bibliography of idioms in computer-readable form (e.g. as a database).
• Building your own computer-readable corpus of idioms.
• Building your own computer-readable idiom lexicon as a database.
• Actively using this information in class for the exercises and project work.

Participation and Qualification
All participants are expected to take part actively in the preparatory and summary exercises and in the project phase at the end of term; proof of active particpation is constituted by written results.

CLASS NOTES AND DOWNLOADS