Not offered in 2008
This unit will survey the history of English (origins, development, diversification, recent convergence, etc; including the origins and development of the key features which distinguish the main varieties of the language), and the relevant basic aspects of theoretical historical linguistics and philology. It will also deal with the main sociolinguistic facts and issues associated with the statuses and functions of the English language as it exists today and of the key varieties of English in the various societies in which they are used.
Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
Three written assignments (approximately 3,000 words): 70%;
one examination 1.5 hours): 30%
2 hours (2 x 1 hour seminars) per week
A first-year sequence in Linguistics