| COURSE:
This course is a comprehensive survey of the development of the
English language, complete with a brief introduction to phonology,
morphology, and syntax. The course comprises an introduction to the basic
mechanisms of language change and the fundamentals of grammar. With
some basic analytical tools to hand, we will examine the development
of English from its distant roots in Proto-Indo European until the
present day. In addition, we will be learning PHP, MySQL, and HTML 5. Software includes Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, and MAMP.
BOOKS: Books
are free online through UMass.
- A Biography
of the English Language ,
C. M. Millward.
- Cambridge Encyclopedia
of the English Language ,
David Crystal.
- Baugh & Cable, A History of the English Language, 5th ed. [ch1, ch2, ch3, ch4, ch5, ch6, ch7, ch8, ch9, ch10, ch11, app1, app2]
STRUCTURE AND OBJECTIVES:
The course aims at
familiarizing you with the principles of historical linguistics
with specific focus on English. Our discussion time will be split between
HEL proper and coding. The course
proceeds chronologically: we begin with Proto-European languages,
then narrow our focus to Proto-Germanic languages, then to Old
English.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- There is one project.
It will present one area of HEL online.
All notes and readings will be posted to this page.
SCHEDULE:
Week One. Overview of this course. Overview of syllabus options for HEL.
Week Two. Basic Phonology
Week Three. Basic Morphology
Week Four. Basic Syntax and Old English Introduction
Week Five. Old English 2
Week Six. Middle English
Week Seven. Middle English 2
Week Eight. Middle English 3.
Week Nine. Spring Break.
Week Ten. Early Modern English
Week Eleven. Early Modern English 2
Week Twelve. Modern English
Week Thirteen. Contemporary English(es)
Week Fourteen. World English(es)
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