History of the English Language
Code
711131073
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
6
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
By the end of this course students should be able to:
a) Distinguish the external history of English from its internal history;
b) Understand and describe the origins of the English language;
c) Describe the historical context of the formation and evolution of the English language;
d) Identify and describe the relevant linguistic phenomena which characterize the different periods in the history of English;
e) Distinguish synchronic variation throughout the different periods;
f) Understand the linguistic diversity in Contemporary English;
g) Identify the main linguistic features which characterize the diverse varieties of English.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
Module 1 – Preliminary issues
1.1 Internal and external language history
1.2. Change and Variation
1.3. Periodization issues
Module 2- Old English
2.1. Origins and prior events: The Indo-European family; the pre-Roman period; the Roman period. The Germanic Invasions.
2.2. The Anglo-Saxons. King Alfreds role. The relevance of Christianization.
2.3. Structural characterization of OE. Analysis of sample texts.
Module 3- Middle English
3.1. Historical Context: Norman Conquest. Reestablishment of English.
3.2. Caxtons contribution to standardization.
3.3. Structural characterization of ME. Analysis of sample texts.
Module 4 Modern English
4.1. Historical context: The Renaissance; The Appeal to Authority: Academies, grammars and dictionaries.
4.2. Structural characterization of ModE. Analysis of sample texts.
Module 5 Expansion and Variation
5.1. Historical context: The Empire; the World Wars.
5.2. Science and Technology; the new media: radio, television, the web.
Bibliography
Baugh, A. & Cable, T. (2002). A History of the English Language, London: Routledge, 5th edition.
Aitchison, J.. (1981). Language Change: Progress or Decay? Bungay, Suffolk: Fontana Paperbacks.
Blake, N. F. (1996). A History of the English Language. Londres: Macmillan Press.
Knowles, G. (1997). A Cultural History of the English Language. Londres: Arnold.
McCrum, R., Cran,W. & Robert MacNeil, R. (1986). The Story of English. Londres: Faber and Faber, Ltd.; BBC Publications
Teaching method
Lectures (60%), Group discussion and analysis of oral and written texts (40%).
Evaluation method
2 in-class written tests: intermediate (30%) and final (40%); one written essay (30%)