ENG 203 CC: ENGLISHES THEN & NOW

What does it mean to call a language “English”? Who decides what is considered correct then and now, in Britain and the U.S., and in other places? What role do categories such as ethnicity, race, class, gender, and sexuality play in language development and use?  This course is an introduction to many forms of English from its first written form to today.  We will first focus on the three conventional historical stages of the language:  Old English (5th-11th c.), Middle English (12th to late 15th c.) and Early Modern English (late 15th to 17th c.).  We will explore the phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexis of each variety – that is, their sounds, grammatical forms, sentence structure, and vocabulary – in relation to linguistic and social change.  Sample texts will help demonstrate main characteristics and expressive abilities of past Englishes.  Next will come Present-Day English.  After examining the background of American English, we will study global, diasporic, and American varieties such as African-American Vernacular English, Spanglish, and Hawaiian English Creole, and the imaginative possibilities that they offer.  The students will learn not only about literary expression but also about linguistic issues of more immediate interest to them, including code-switching, youth speech, textspeak, emojis, and language representation in popular culture (in TV series, stand-up comedy, and various genres of music).