3811

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ENGL 3811: HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE "As all other sublunary things are subject to corruption and decay, ... so the learnedest and more eloquent languages are not free from this common fatality, but are liable to those alterations and revolutions, to those fits of inconstancy, and other destructive contingencies which are unavoidably incident to all earthly things." (James Boswell - 1620) English 3811 will explore the pre-history of English and the changes in the sounds, forms, syntax, and vocabulary of English since its beginning in approximately 449 AD. The assignments will include workbook exercises, weekly quizzes, a midterm, a comprehensive final examination, and (for graduate students) one ten to twelve page paper, due Thursday, May 25, worth approximately 2/7 of the final grade. Suggested paper topics will be distributed, but students are welcome to develop their own topics and submit them to the instructor for approval prior to May 18.

Grading

Undergraduates           Graduates
Quizzes: 80 points             Quizzes: 80 points
Workbook: 170 points     Workbook: 170 points
Midterm: 100 points         Midterm: 100 points
Final: 200 points                 Final: 200 points
Paper: 200 points
Total: 550 points                 Total: 750 points

Required texts: C. M. Millward, A Biography of the English Language and Workbook to Accompany A Biography of the English Language In addition, there is a xeroxed selection from Colin Renfrew's Archaeology and Language in the instructor's mailbox in the English Department. Borrow it and make yourself a photocopy (the department charges 5 cents a page) prior to April 11.You need to read pp. 1-19, 75-86, and 99-123. You will also need a good desk dictionary that includes etymologies for some of the workbook exercises. Please bring the Workbook to class because some exercises will be completed in class that will not be graded but will be covered on examinations. You may also wish to know about the History of the English Language Home Page on the World Wide Web. There is a link to it on the links page of my home page.

Schedule of Assignments

Thursday, March 23 INTRODUCTION

Tuesday, March 28 Millward, Chapter 1
Workbook 1.6 and 1.9

Thursday, March 30 Millward, Chapter 2
Workbook 2.3 and 2.13
QUIZ #1

Tuesday, April 4 Millward, Chapter 3
Workbook 3.3 and 3.9

Thursday, April 6 Millward, Chapter 4, pp. 44-59
Workbook 4.3
QUIZ #2

Tuesday, April 11 Millward, Chapter 4, pp. 59-73
Workbook 4.5 and 4.6

Thursday, April 13 Renfrew (xerox)

Workbook 4.8 [identify five cognates in each set; do not include borrowed words like Jesus]
QUIZ #3

Tuesday, April 18 Millward, Chapter 5, pp. 76-81
Workbook 5.5 and 5.7

Thursday, April 20 Millward, Chapter 5, pp. 81-105
Workbook 5.10 and 5.16
QUIZ #4

Tuesday, April 25 Millward, Chapter 5, pp. 106-39
Workbook 5.19 and 5.23

Thursday, April 27 MIDTERM

Tuesday. May 2 Millward, Chapter 6, pp. 140-57
Workbook 6.3 and 6.6A and B

Thursday, May 4 Millward, Chapter 6, pp. 157-81
Workbook 6.9
QUIZ #5

Tuesday. May 9 Millward, Chapter 6, pp. 181-211
Workbook 6.12 and 6.13

Thursday, May 11 Millward, Chapter 6, pp. 211-222
Workbook 6.15
QUIZ #6

Tuesday, May 16 Millward, Chapter 7, pp. 223-283
Workbook 7.4

Thursday, May 18 Millward, Chapter 7, pp. 283-98
Workbook 7.21 and 7.22
QUIZ #7

Tuesday, May 23 Millward, Chapter 8
Workbook 8.3 and 8.4

Thursday, May 25 Millward, Chapter 9
Workbook 9.8 and 9.9
QUIZ #8
PAPER DUE

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