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ENGL 4054 |
Index# 2267 |
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Office Hours: 3-4 WF & by appt. |
Office: Williams 216 |
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(540) 231-7797 |
Class time: 2-2:50 MWF |
Classroom: Williams 324 |
(To Subscribe, click here and on the top line of the message box type: subscribe hel00 Firstname Lastname [i.e., your first and last name]. Please use this method only if your browser is configured for your personal e-mail options! OR: click here to go to a web page that will prompt you for all this info. Click on the button marked LP1, and at the next screen provide the list name--hel00--and your name. You will then be prompted for your e-mail address at the next screen.)This syllabus is located online at:
http://ebbs.english.vt.edu/exper/mosser/classes/hel00/4054.html
It will be updated as warranted.
Ever wonder why many of our names for governmental and judicial activities are based on French borrowings (e.g., "impeach," "judge," "treason," "court," "state")? Or why the French use words like "le weekend," "le parking," or "nonstop"? Why we contract "We are not" but not "I am not"? Why we don't say "thou" but do say "y'all"? The answers to these and other questions lie in the history of the English language and its users, from the language's Germanic roots, through its origins in England, its spread throughout the Empire, and, finally, to its present-day status as a de facto "World Language."
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Small Group Work (five, 5 points each, minus lowest) |
20% |
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Quizzes (six, 5 points each) |
30% |
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Midterm (15 points) |
15% |
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15% |
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20% |
Monday, January 17
Introduction to Course
Wednesday, January 19
"The Human Language," Pt. 1 (Video 5408); Crystal, "Grammatical Mythology," pp. 190-197
Friday, January 21
Finish "The Human Language," Pt. 1 (Video 5408); discussion
Monday, January 24
"Brief Overview"; "case & inflections"; Crystal, pp. 198-205
Wednesday, January 26
Small Group Ex. 1
Friday, January 28
Crystal, "The Sound System," pp. 236-241 (Vowels)
Monday, January 31
Crystal, "The Sound System," pp. 242 -247 (Consonants, Connected Speech)
Wednesday, February 2
Small Group Ex. 2
Friday, February 4
"Indo-European and the Pre-History of English"; Video, "In Search of the First Language"
Monday, February 7
Finish "In Search of the First Language"
Wednesday, February 9
Take Quiz 1 before class; Crystal, pp. 6-23; "The Beginnings of English in England"
Friday, February 11
"Outside Influences"; Crystal, pp. 24-29
Monday, February 14
OE cont.
Wednesday, February 16
Small Group Ex. 3
Friday, February 18
Take Quiz 2 before class; Crystal, pp. 30-45; "The Norman Conquest and Early Middle English"
Monday, February 21
Crystal, pp. 46-55; "Late Middle English"
Wednesday, February 23
ME, cont.
Friday, February 25
Small Group Ex. 4
Monday, February 28
Video 1110, vol. 2.1: "A Muse of Fire" (Early Modern English); Crystal, pp, 56-69; "Early Modern English"
Wednesday, March 1
Take Quiz 3 before class; Finish Video 1110, vol. 2.1: "A Muse of Fire"; discussion
Friday, March 3
EME, cont.
Monday, March 6
Review for Midterm
Tuesday, March 7
Take Quiz 4 by 5 PM
Wednesday, March 8
Midterm Exam
Friday, March 10
Crystal, pp. 70-77; "The Evolution of English Dictionaries"
March 11-19 Spring Break Monday, March 20
"The Development of English Grammars"; Crystal, pp. 78-79; 366-369
Wednesday, March 22
Take Quiz 5 before class; Grammar & Dictionaries, cont.
Friday, March 24
"The American (English) Language"; Crystal, pp. 80-85; 92-97
Monday, March 27
Crystal, pp. 298-311
Wednesday, March 29
Crystal, pp. 312-339
Friday, March 31
Video 1795: "American Tongues"
Due by Midnight, April 4
Extra Credit Quiz for those who attended Walt Wolfram's "The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Southern English"
Monday, April 3
Finish Video 1795: "American Tongues"; discussion
Wednesday, April 5
Video 1110, vol. 3.1: "Black on White"
Friday, April 7
Take Quiz 6 before class; finish Video 1110, vol. 3.1: "Black on White"; Crystal, pp. 394-412; Discuss Projects
Monday, April 10
Small Group Ex. 5; by midnight, e-mail me a proposal for your project
Wednesday, April 12
Work on projects
Friday, April 13
Work on projects
Monday, April 17
The "English Only Movement"; Crystal, pp. 115; video & audio recordings
Wednesday, April 19
Crystal, pp. 340-363
Friday, April 21
Projects Due
Monday, April 24
"World Englishes"; Crystal pp. 106-114
Wednesday, April 26
Video 1110, The Story of English, vol. 5: "The Empire Strikes Back"/"Next Year's Words
Friday, April 28
Finish Video 1110, The Story of English, vol. 5: "The Empire Strikes Back"/"Next Year's Words
Monday, May 1
Review for Final Exam
Wednesday, May 3
Classes End
Wednesday, May 10, 1:05-3:05 PM
The quizzes for this class are "Whiz Quizzes," which you will take online. The threshhold is set to 80%, meaning that no grades below that are reported and once you have achieved at least that score, whatever you achieve (80% or better) is recorded as your grade. Quizzes are worth a maximum of 5 points each. Any quizzes taken after the class period on the day the quiz is due will receive no higher than half credit. [back]
