ENGL 40211 - History of the English Language

Institution:

University of Notre Dame

Subject:

English

Description:

This is a course on the history of the English language from its elusive but largely reconstructible roots in Indo-European to more or less the present, with a heavy bias towards the earlier pre-modern periods. The goals of the course are to acquaint students with the development of English morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics, graphics, and vocabulary, and to explore the cultural and historical contexts of the language's transformation from the Anglo-Saxon period onward. In working toward these goals, we'll spend time rooting around in the dustbins of English etymology, lexicography, onomastics, and dialectology, and we will explore some current problems in usage and idiom. The course is by nature heavily linguistic, which is to say we'll be spending a lot of time talking about language, grammar, and the forces that act upon spoken and written English. Students can expect to achieve a basic understanding of the cultural and linguistic phenomena that have shaped the language we now speak and write; they will become versed in the fundamental methodology and terminology of historical and descriptive linguistics; they will learn to effect a reasonably credible pronunciation of Old, Middle, and Early Modern English (including something very close to Shakespeare's probable pronunciation); they will discover the true meanings of their own given name and surname; and they will gain experience researching a couple of aspects of the language that interest them. In addition to regular reading and workbook assignments, the course's requirements include two exams, three essays, and responsible attendance.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.nd.edu

Phone Number:

(574) 631-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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