História da Língua Inglesa (not translated)
Code
711131073
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Alexandra Fiéis
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 formation and evolution of the English language;
d) Identify and describe the relevant linguistic phenomena which characterize the different periods of the history of English;
e) Distinguish synchronic variation throughout the different periods;
f) Understand aspects of English morphosyntax from a diachronic perspective;
g) Understand the linguistic diversity in Contemporary English;
g) Identify the main linguistic features which characterize different varieties of English.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
1. Linguistic change and periodization of English
1.2. Pre-history of English: from Indo-European to West Germanic
1.3. Old English
1.4. Middle English
1.5. Early Modern English and Modern English
2. Aspects from English morphosyntax from a diachronic perspective
2.1. From Old English to Modern English: from SOV to SVO
2.2. From Old English to Modern English: the loss of verb movement
2.3. From Old English to Modern English: the loss of null subjects
3. English around the world: expansion and variation
Module 3- Middle English
3.1. Historical Context: Norman Conquest. Reestablishment of English.
3.2. Caxton’s 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
Aitchison, J.. (1981). Language Change: Progress or Decay? Bungay, Suffolk: Fontana Paperbacks.
Barber, Charles, Joan C. Beal & Philip A. Shaw (2009). The English language. A historical introduction. Cambridge: University Press.
Baugh, A. & Cable, T. (2002). A History of the English Language, London: Routledge, 5th edition.
Clackson, James (2007). Indo-European Linguistics. An Introduction. Cambridge: University Press.
DeGraff, Michel (ed.) (1999). Language Creation and Language Change. Creolization, Diachrony and Development. Massachusetts: MIT Press.
Gelderen, Elly van (2015). Generative syntax and language change. In Claire Bowern & Bethwyn Evans. The Routledge Handbook of Historical Linguistics. New York: Routledge, pp. 326-342.
Roberts, Ian (1993). Verbs and diachronic syntax: a comparative history of English and French. London: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Teaching method
There will both theoretical lectures and practical work in class and as homework, and also discussion of reading topics. Summaries and relevant material will be available on FCSH-UNL´s \"moodle\". Tutorials will be on students´ demand.
Evaluation method
Evaluation:
Two written tests: mid-term (35%) and final (35%); one short written essay (15%); exercises and class activities (15%).