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According to the UAA Catalog, English 476 is a
course in the "[o]rigins and development of the English language from
prehistoric times to the present. Linguistics
101 recommended but not required." What
this means is that we will follow a roughly chronological path through the
development of the English language in both its internal development
(pronunciation/phonology, orthography, etc.) and external influences (social,
cultural, and political influences).
In each class meeting we will examine topics
important both to the internal development of the language and to the cultural
history of English. Because we will
be meeting only once per week, each class period covers a great deal of
material. The teaching – learning
strategies include lecture, discussion, tests & quizzes; small group work,
audio & video tapes; class presentations; and brief response papers & a
longer research essay.
Any
student requiring individualized accommodation due to a documented ADA
disability should see me during the first week of class.
UAA is an equal opportunity institution.
Graddol,
David, Dick Leith, and Joan Swann, eds. English:
History, Diversity, and Change. London:
Routledge, 1996.
McCrum,
Robert, William Cran, and Robert MacNeil. The
Story of English. Rev. ed.
New York:
Penguin, 1992.
Thorough
reading, class participation, a group project, 1 test (a cumulative final),
several response papers (2-3 pgs max), and two brief research paper are required
in Eng. 476. I also expect you to
come to class regularly and to keep up with the reading assignments.
Reading:
The careful and thorough reading of all assignments is essential to
your successful completion of the course.
Pop quizzes are a distinct possibility, especially if class
discussion falters or students evidence not having read the material.
Group
Presentation: The class
will be broken up into groups to introduce, illustrate, and present a
chapter from The Story of English and/or English: History,
Diversity, and Change. The
group will formulate an agenda for the presentation and run it past the
instructor prior to the presentation for feedback.
The 20 minute presentation should present the historical background,
key historical and cultural moments, important linguistic and language
related concepts, and attempt to relate the readings to previous class
material, readings, and discussions. Handouts, visual aids, and creative risks are welcome—nay,
required!
Tests:
You will have both a midterm and a cumulative final emphasizing your
ability to think across the semester. The
tests may combine both objective questions over content (names, dates,
identifying texts and key ideas) and essay responses over linguistic issues.
I don’t give make-ups for major tests without prior
approval.
Format:
All papers (response and analysis) are to be typed on standard 8 1/2
x 11 inch typing papers according to the MLA format (title block in upper
left-hand corner, no title page or plastic covers, please). Always back up
your computer files (preferably on both your hard drive and on a floppy),
and always keep an extra hard copy of your paper!
Attendance:
I expect your regular attendance and participation in all aspects of
the course. If you miss class,
you are still responsible for the work due and should check with classmates
for notes and assignments before the next class meeting.
Excessive absences warrant grade penalties.
A roll sheet will be circulated at the beginning of each class to
record attendance.
Plagiarism: Using other people's ideas, phrases, or writing without proper documentation, including having others write your assignments or using undocumented library research, including WWW and Internet sources, will not be tolerated. Disciplinary action can range from failure of the assignment in question to failure in the course. See the Student Code of Conduct for details.
The
course is strictly graded from A to F (A = 93-100, B = 85-92, C = 77-84, D =
70-76, F = 69 or below) according to the UAA descriptions (A =
"comprehensive mastery," B = "high level of performance," C
= "satisfactory level of performance," D = "lowest passing
grade," and F = "failure").
The grades are weighted as follows:
| Weekly Quizzes | 20% |
| Midterm Exam | 20% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Discourse Community Assignment | 20% |
| Oxford English Dictionary Assignment | 10% |
| Group Presentation | 10% |
One
final word: If your have a
question at any point in the term, ask me or set up an appointment. If you have a problem that prevents your progress in the
course, don't suffer in silence. Let
me know before it gets unmanageable and we'll work something out.
English
476, Tentative First-Half Schedule, Fall 1999
Week 1
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Date |
Topic / Assignments |
Concepts |
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R 9/2 |
Introduction
to the Course: Syllabus
·
Reading: "Mayhem
in the Classroom" / handout
·
In-class: Rewrite
writing sample according to the principles in "Mayhem in the
Classroom" |
Systematic language change |
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Week
2 |
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R 9/9 |
Human Body / Human Culture:
Language, Linguistics, and Re-Learning the Alphabet ·
Reading: "The
Sounds of Current English"/handout ·
Reading: "Letters
and Sounds" / handout ·
Quiz 1over phonetics & sound formation |
International Phonetic Alphabet;
Physiology of phonetics |
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Week
3 |
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R 9/16 |
From PIE to GMC:
Getting to English ·
Reading: "The
Backgrounds of English" / handout ·
Quiz 2 over sound changes ·
Group 1 Presentation |
Language classification; Grimm's
Law; Verner's Law |
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Week
4 |
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R 9/23 |
"English" or "Englishes" ·
Reading: SOE,
ch. 1, "An English Speaking World" ·
Reading: EHDC,
ch. 1, "English Voices" ·
Quiz 3 over International Phonetic Alphabet ·
Group 2 Presentation |
International Varieties of
English; language change and socio-political pressures |
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Week
5 |
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R 9/30 |
Special Guest Lecturer |
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Week
6 |
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R 10/7 |
From Manuscript to Print in
English ·
Reading: EHDC,
ch. 2, "English Manuscripts: The Emergence of a Visual Identity" ·
Quiz 4 over FUTHORC and orthography ·
Reading: Bovè
on "Discourse" |
Language and material culture |
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Week
7 |
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R 10/14 |
The Old English Period ·
Reading: EHDC,
ch. 3, "The Origins of English" ·
Group 3 Presentation ·
Quiz 5 over terminology ·
Be prepared to read aloud activity 3.3 and 3.7 |
Development of Old English;
influences on Old & Middle English |
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Week
8 |
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R 10/21 |
The
Middle English Period
· Reading: SOE, ch. 2, "The Mother Tongue" ·
Group 4 Presentation ·
Quiz 6 over Middle English translation ·
Be prepared to read aloud activity 3.7 |
Mid-Term
Exam Due Next Class Period |
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Week
9 |
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