Course Syllabus

ENGL 3307 01  History of the English Language
Spring 2016
MWF 2
Stokes 403N

Prof. Robert Stanton
Stokes 385S
(617) 552-2235
stantoro@bc.edu
Office Hours: Friday 11-12, 2-3, or by appointment

Course Description

This course reads English language and culture through one another over the 1500-year history of English. We will look at issues of language use, such as the notion of linguistic correctness, the construction of "standard" and "non-standard" English, "literary" language, simplified or plain language, spelling reform, pidgins and creoles, the increasing hegemony of English on a world scale, and the important variations of English around the world.

We will begin with some of the basic concepts of language and language change, including semantics (how words mean), phonology (where sounds come from and how they are made), morphology (how words are formed), orthography (spelling), and syntax (how words are put together). From there we will move to the prehistory of English, including the Indo-European language family and where English fits into it. Then we will work chronologically, moving through Old English (before 1100), Middle English (12th-15th centuries), Early Modern English (16th-18th centuries), and Modern English (18th century-present). Along the way, we will read historical events such as invasions, revolutions political and intellectual, immigration, emigration and cultural assimilation as shaping forces in the living entity of the language. Grammatical and linguistic terms and ideas will be explained in as much detail as necessary. No previous background in early English is required, and there will be enough language instruction to allow you to delight in the difference of more youthful Englishes.

Assignments

Our class time will be a combination of lecture, discussion, student presentations, and short quizzes (about 10 minutes). There are 8 quizzes, and I will drop the 2 lowest quiz grades. In groups of 3, you will do an in-class group presentation, lasting 50 minutes, on a topic chosen from this list of topics. Here's the schedule. There will be a 3-page paper due on March 2, basically a description of the history of one word, working with the Oxford English Dictionary . At the end of the semester, you will write a 5-7 page paper on a topic of your own choosing. There will be a midterm test in class on March 16 and a final exam (not cumulative) during the exam period. Finally, as part of your class participation grade, for each class one student will pick a fun word and present it to the class in 1-2 minutes (Word of the Day!)

Grading

Grade Ranges

Attendance

Regular attendance is required in this course. You may miss 3 classes without penalty (don't squander the freebies!); further unexplained absences (i.e., without a doctor's or dean's note) will affect your grade. Again, I will drop the 2 lowest of your 8 test grades. If you miss a test, you will not be able to make it up and the grade will be zero. Note that class participation accounts for 10% of your final grade. This is not a gift for regular attendance, but an encouragement to participate in the discussions and ask questions during lectures and after presentations.

Papers
Late papers will be penalized by one plus/minus per day late (including weekend days), unless documentation is provided in the form of a doctor's note or dean's letter. Since papers are due at the 12 o'clock class, any paper turned in between then and noon the next day will count as one day late. Before noon two days later, two days late, etc. Papers will be accepted by e-mail only by prior arrangement.

Academic Integrity
You should all be familiar with the university's policy on academic integrity (http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/integrity.html). The policy defines cheating as "the fraudulent or dishonest presentation of work" and plagiarism as "the act of taking the words, ideas, data, illustrations, or statements of another person or source, and presenting them as one's own. Each student is responsible for learning and using proper methods of paraphrasing and footnoting, quotation, and other forms of citation, to ensure that the original author, speaker, illustrator, or source of the material used is clearly acknowledged."

Any student in this course who violates academic integrity in any way will be reported to the Dean's office and may be penalized by failure in the course.

Students With Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability seeking reasonable accommodations in this course, please contact Kathy Duggan (617) 552-8093, at the Connors Family Learning Center regarding learning disabilities, or Paulette Durrett (617) 552-3470, in the Disability Services Office regarding all other types of disabilities.

Textbook
Charles Barber, Joan C. Beal, and Philip A. Shaw, The English Language: A Historical Introduction, 2^nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-1-107-69393-7 (“BBS” on the syllabus!)

English Grammar: Good Books, Good Websites
Roy Peter Clark, The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English. New York: LIttle Brown, 2010. available as an e-book through BC Libraries
Christine Sinclair, Grammar: A Friendly Approach. Maidenhead UK and New York: Open UP and McGraw Hill, 2010.available as an e-book through BC Libraries
Ben Yagoda, When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It: The Parts of Speech for Better and Worse. New York: Broadway, 2006.

The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) Grammar Pages (a classic)
The Capital Community College Foundation Guide to Grammar and Writing (excellent, friendly)
The Internet Grammar of English (also excellent, also friendly)

Language Blogs and Sites (there are so many!)

click here for a list of abbreviations used in the PowerPoints

Schedule (Subject to Change):