History of the English Language.

Catalog description

This course will survey the origins and development of the English language from its beginnings in the 6th-7th centuries until the modern day. Along the way, we will consider the ways in which the grammar and syntax of English shaped, and were shaped by, historical and cultural forces. The course culminates in a final project that invites students to consider how deeper knowledge of English’s history enriches the understanding of a particular text, culture, or community.