The Structure and History of English

Catalog description

This course covers analyses of the phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of contemporary English varieties and the historical developments that led them through the stages of Old, Middle, and Modern English. Students will examine how English sounds are produced; how sounds are grouped mentallyand influenced by spelling; how new words are formed, slang terms are coined, and terms are borrowed and lent; how English sentences are structured; and how meaning is influenced by situation, culture, and context. Students will explore how English changed over time, from the Great Vowel Shift to the development ofmodern regional and social dialects, Standard American English, and the emergence of World English. Overall, the course provides students with an understanding of the evolution of the rules, patterns, and characteristics thatconstitute standard spoken and written contemporary English. (Students will receive credit for either ENG 3750 or COM 3750, not both. These courses may notsubstitute for each other in the F grade replacement policy.)