English 359.01: History of the English Language

Course Goals: This course will present and explain the inner and outer histories of the English language.  Inner history comprises the actual phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic changes concomitant with the evolution of English; outer history comprises the cultural and technological events that contributed to inner history.

Course Objectives:

• Understanding basic linguistic and historical events related to the development of the English language
• Understanding the relationship of English to other Indo-European and world languages
• Enhancing one's understanding of the current status of  English as a world language
• Enhancing one's understanding of current English grammar
• Applying the linguistic history of English to the history of literature in English
• Establishing an elemental understanding of  linguistic methodology
• Understanding the relationship between language and human thought, especially how the history of the English language  reflects/creates the history of English thought
• Expanding your intellectual abilities as a result of the above

Course Evaluation:
 

Exam I	20%
Exam II	20%
Exam III	20%
Comprehensive Final	25%
Oral Presentation	15%

Textbook:
Millward, C.M.  A Biography of the English Language. 2nd Ed.  Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1996.
Electronic Resources

Course Policies: Certain simple rules provide a basis for equal treatment and evaluation of all students. These rules are listed below.

• Attend all classes on time. This class will not have an official attendance policy.  The bulk and complexity of the course content, along with your status as upperclasspersons well aware of the benefits of consistent attendance, should encourage your presence.
• Hand in work on time. Everything contributes to your final grade. Consider every assignment an important one (and consider any questions regarding missing anything important, should you miss class, answered). Moreover, contrary to popular myth, absence does not extend due dates or relieve you from responsibility. Thus, missing class as a method of excusing yourself from course policies will only cause an additional problem.
• Pay attention. Everything has the potential of being included on an exam or quiz. Review your notes--don't just take them down and leave them closed in your notebook. The key factor involved with paying attention, of course, is self-discipline. Anyone engaging in activities that are more suitable outside the classroom will be encourages to relocate. Thus, pagers, cell phones, and other distractions should be turned off before class begins.
• Do your own work. Lying, cheating, and plagiarizing always earns a zero (0) and may lead to disciplinary action by the University.
• Advise me of any special needs you may have immediately. WTAMU seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This university will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Disability Support Services and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations.
• Other policies may be instituted as needed.

Daily Syllabus:
 

8/27  Course Policies	15  Exam II
29  Chapter 1-Introduction (Ch. 1)	17, 19, 22, 24, 26  Early Modern English (Ch. 7)
31 & 9/5  Phonology (Ch. 2)	29  Review
7, 10, 12  Language Families/Indo-European (Ch. 4)	31  Exam III
14, 17, 19, 21, 24  Old English (Ch. 5)	11/2, 5, 7, 9, 12  Present-Day English (Ch. 8)
26  Review	14, 16  World Englishes (Ch. 9)
28  Exam I	19, 21, 28, 30, 12/3  Student Presentations
10/1, 3, 5, 8, 10  Middle English (Ch. 6)	5  Student Presentations/Review
12  Review	12/7/01; 8:00 a.m  FINAL EXAM

 

Copyright © 2001 Martin M. Jacobsen, Ph.D. as to this syllabus and all lectures; materials may not be reproduced without Dr. Jacobsen's written consent. Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes during this course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course.