Studies in Language and Culture

Recommended Prerequisites

Knowledge of English culture and basic tools of language description acquired in a first degree; advanced skills in English.

Teaching Methods

The theoretical contents of the curricular unit will be presented in lectures and in practical classes with the support of period documents and linguistic corpora that help illustrate the historical issues and highlight their present relevance. Students are encouraged to take an active part in the analysis and discussion of the study materials. The assessment also includes an individual essay on “state-of-the-art”.

Learning Outcomes

This unit offers a linguistic approach to the social and cultural history on English in national, colonial and international settings. At the end of the semester, students are expected to:
a) identify political, cultural and technological factors determining the development of English as a national language, as a contact language, a second and global language.
b) Identify stages in the history of English, based on lexical and grammatical properties.
c) Understand and critically analyse language policies in Great-Britain and the United States that shaped ‘standard English’ and the written norm.
d) Understand the specificity of contact varieties in the United States (e.g., ‘Black American English’ e ‘Hispanic English’), the role of creole languages as a colonial legacy and the emergence of ‘New Englishes’.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. The effect of historical and socio-cultural forces on the hegemonic imposition of the English language in the Britain and in the United States.

2. The development of English since its origins to the modern times: comparing Old English, Middle English and Modern English; a lexical and grammatical survey.

3. The rise of ‘Standard English’: the instrumental role of the press, the literary languages and scientific discourse in the definition of the educated variety.

4. English and language contact within the colonial context and the emergence of the ‘New Englishes’ and of creole languages; the case of Black American English and Hispanic English in the United States.

5. English as a global language; the social, cultural e linguistic consequences of globalization.

N.B. The syllabus and bibliography may change depending on teaching staff.

Head Lecturer(s)

Ana Alexandra Ribeiro Luís

Assessment Methods

Continuous Assessment
In-class participation, oral presentation and other assignments: 40.0%
Research work: 60.0%

Bibliography

Algeo, J. (Ed.). (2001). The Cambridge History of the English (Vol 6. English in North America. Cambridge: CUP.Holm, J. (1988-89). Pidgins and creoles. 2 vols. Cambridge: CUP.

Knowles, G. (Ed.). (1997). A Cultural History of the English Language. London: Arnold.

Leith, D. (Ed). (1997). A Social History of English. London: Routledge.

Momma, H.& Matto, M. (Eds.). (2008). A Companion to the History of the English Language. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.

Kemenade, A.& Los, B. (Eds.).(2006). The Handbook of the History of English. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.

Schneider, E. (2007). Postcolonial English: Varieties around the world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wierzbicka, A. (2006). English: Meaning and Culture. Oxford: OUP.