History of English: From its Origins to the Present Day

Block 1: Linguistics, language change and historical linguistics.

1. Introduction to the course and a brief introduction to linguistics.

This week will introduce the main topics and objectives of the course, and the main areas of study linguistics: phonology; morphology; syntax; semantics.

2. Language change.

This class will analyze how and why languages change. We will discuss language-internal change, as well as the effect of external factors like historical events, culture, and geopolitics.

3. Doing historical and variationist linguistics.

This class will introduce students to the main principles and methodologies for the study of historical linguistics and synchronic variation.

Block 2: The story of English.

4. The prehistory of English.

This week will introduce students to the Indo-European language family, and in particular to the Germanic branch, to which English belongs.

5. Old English.

This class will survey the main linguistic features of Old English, its writing system, and some of its key texts.

6. Middle English.

This class will survey the main linguistic features of Middle English, with a particular focus on the effects of language contact on its development. This week will also discuss some key texts in relation to issues of spelling and pronunciation.

7. Modern English.

This class will survey the main linguistic features of Early Modern and Modern English, with a particular focus on the standardization process and the rise of a prestige pronunciation.

8. Scots and Scottish English.

This class will discuss the main history and linguistic features of Scots and Scottish English, and attitudes towards them.

Block 3: New Englishes.

9. English around the world. 

This week will outline the historical spread of English around the world, and describe the linguistic features of some key varieties, and the factors that led to geographical variation in New Englishes.

10. Creole Englishes. English as a lingua franca.

The first part of the class will focus on the development of English-based pidgins and creoles. Students will be introduced to the characteristics and principles of extreme language contact, with particular attention given to the linguistic consequences of the slave trade. In the second part of the class we will discuss the role of English as a lingua franca, and the effects that second language learners are having on the language.

Each weekly 2 hour class will combine lecture and tutorial discussion. Essential and recommended readings will be set in advance of each class. Students will have the option to submit a formative assignment during the course and will be required to submit the summative assessment after the course has ended.

Describe some of the main linguistic features of earlier stages of English and of new Englishes.

• Demonstrate knowledge of the main historical, cultural and sociological events that affected the evolution of English.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of language change and the methodologies of historical linguistics and sociolinguistics.

• Show familiarity with the analysis of written and spoken texts from different periods of English and from different communities of English speakers.

• Demonstrate an awareness of the historical and political reasons for the global status of English today.

Essential:

• Mugglestone, L. ed., 2012. The Oxford History of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Recommended:

• Hogg, R.M and Denison, D. eds., 2010. A History of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• Jones, C. ed., 1997. The Edinburgh History of the Scots Language. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

• Trask, R.L., 1994 Language Change. London: Routledge.

• McMahon, A.M.S., 1994. Understanding Language Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• Schneider, Edgar W. 2011. English Around the World: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.