CTL5002S: The Origins of Modern English
Instructor: Carol Percy, Associate Professor,
Department of English, U of T.
Contact info: Wetmore 125, New College. 978-4287. cpercy@chass.utoronto.ca
Meetings: Mondays, 5:30-8:30 (but we can negotiate
start time!), OISE 12-204
Course page: http://cpercy.artsci.utoronto.ca/courses/5002syll.htm
“HELL”: http://cpercy.artsci.utoronto.ca/helhome.htm
(History of the English Language Links)
Course description: This introductory course studies the English language in reverse chronological order – that is, from its many modern voices to its Germanic origins in the Anglo-Saxon period. We will, however, spread the study of Old English through the semester: for the first half of the course, we’ll learn a concept each week and get to know a few texts very well. Basic terms and concepts will be illustrated early in the term with examples from present-day English texts. Sub-topics to be treated include vocabulary, semantics, spelling, writing, pronunciation, grammar, language variation and change, and the codification of English in grammars and dictionaries. We will often use specific texts as a basis for lectures and discussion: there will be extra emphasis on the use of language in literature. One assignment will invite you to apply the course material in your classroom. I will also be helping you to focus and investigate a brief research project on a topic of your own choice.
Required texts: The required course text is David Crystal’s Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (Cambridge University Press); this has been ordered to the University of Toronto bookstore. Please bring Crystal to every class. I will also be collecting $5 to cover the cost of handouts. If you get keen on particular topics, there is a range of books on short-term loan at the Robarts Library. The course home page will also have links to various essential or merely useful resources. You should have easy and frequent access to the University of Toronto’s electronic resources: please make sure this week that you can use the online Oxford English Dictionary.
Method of evaluation. #1 Evaluation of reference resources (20%); #2 Seminar presentation of a classroom application (25%); #3 Research paper (25%); #4 Take-home exam (20%); Participation (10%).
Please consult this page every week for changes and
updates!
Schedule Topic OE topic
Week 1 (Jan. 7) Overview Recognizing
OE words.
For Jan
14th: Find the course web
page, check access to U of T resources, print stuff out.
Make sure you have e-access to OED (get proxy server?).
Print
out “words from 1970” sheet linked to course home
page.
Print
out linked pages from Murray McGillivray’s course:
OE
pronunciation 1 and OE
pronunciation 2.
Plunge into readings about the Modern English vocabulary:
Read Crystal chapters 9, 10
(p.138), 11, 12, 14 (p.198 only).
Read handouts from the Oxford Companion to the English Language:
Semantics,
Word-formation, Slang.
Collect some “data” for our
group analysis of Modern English next week:
Some slang from
your students or children.
A very short passage of a text with new words (computing, science, etc.)
Get a sense of Old English:
Read Crystal chapter 2, chapter 3
(pp.16-19, 22 only).
Week 2 (Jan. 14) Modern English Recognizing
OE words.
Lexis,
semantics.
For Jan 21st: Canadian English: Read Crystal c7 (92-95) and
c20 (306-317, 340-343). [Millward 363-368].
Read and study (Canadian)
dictionary headwords handout.
Read and study Old English
handout (Abraham and Isaac).
Read and reread the
Abraham and Isaac story online, with its glossary.
From course web page, print out “Old
English as an inflected language” and “present
of the verb beon and the personal pronouns”.
Week 3 (Jan. 21) North American/Canadian English OE irregular verbs
Phonetics, phonology. OE
pronouns.
For Jan
28th: Review phonetics and
phonology: read Crystal c17. [Millward chapter 2.]
World Englishes: Read Crystal c7, c20 (pp. 358-363 only).
[Millward chapter 9.]
Read and study poems and
illustrative texts (handout).
From course web page, print
out “Old
English syntax”.
Week 4 (Jan. 28) World Englishes. OE
word order
Grammar.
For Feb 4th: Review grammar: read Crystal c14, c15, c16.
Read Crystal c7 (96-97), c20 (344-349). [Millward 403-405,
and descriptions of particular varieties earlier in the chapter.]
Read and study illustrative texts (handout).
From course web page, print out
“OE case system/strong masculine and neuter nouns”.
Week 5 (Feb. 4) Pidgins and creoles. OE
nouns.
For Feb.
11th: Read Crystal c6 (pp.80-91
only). [Millward, intro to chapter 8.]
From course web page, play
with and print out OED search results:
Headwords from C19th
texts containing the word “Canada” (sample 100)
Headwords “first
cited” in 1837 (sample 100)
Headwords “first
cited” in 1870 (sample 100)
From course web page, print
out “OE
weak verbs”.
Week 6 (Feb. 11) The 19th century OE weak verbs.
For Feb.
25th: Read Crystal c5
(72-75),c6 (76-79), c13. [Millward chapter 7.]
From course web page, play
with and print out OED search results:
Headwords from 18thc
texts containing “language” (sample 100)
Headwords “first
cited” in 1770 (sample 100)
From course web page, print out “OE
strong verbs: singan”
READING WEEK (Feb. 18)
Week 7 (Feb. 25) The 18th century OE strong verbs
#1:
Evaluating reference resources.
For March
4th: Read Crystal c5. [Reread
Millward chapter 7.]
Study texts (handouts)
Week 8 (Mar. 4) Early modern English
Study texts (handouts)
Week 9 (Mar. 11) Early modern English
For Mar.
18th: Read Crystal c4.
[Millward chapter 6.]
Study texts (handouts)
Week 10 (Mar. 18) Middle English #2: Classroom applications.
Week 11 (Mar. 25) Middle English #2: Classroom
applications.
[#4:
Receive take-home test.]
For April
1st: Read Crystal c3.
[Millward chapter 5.]
Study poems (handout)
Week 12 (Apr. 1) Old English: some poetry
For April
8th: [Millward chapter 4.]
Week 13 (Apr. 8) Old English: the Germanic and Indo-European
roots
#3:
Research papers due April 8th.
[#4:
Take-home test due April 12th.]