Introductory description

The English language has become a global phenomenon, with the number of speakers who learn it as a second language outnumbering those who acquire it as a first language. How did this situation develop? Where did English come from and how has it changed over time? What has happened to English as it has internationalised? This module will give you a comprehensive understanding of the historical and global complexity of the English language. You will learn about its roots and how it has developed. You will also gain an enhanced awareness of current issues related to its global spread and influence on other languages.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Term 1: The Development of English as a World Language

English and other languages in the world today
Linguicide and language ecology
Overview of world varieties of English, and where they came from
History of English in North America
History of English in Australia and New Zealand
English in India: from trade to Raj to independence
English in other colonial and post-colonial contexts
Continuing spread? English language learning, teaching and use in the world today
Linguistic imperialism versus demands for English
The future of English

Term 2: The History of English in Britain

Indo-European and Germanic languages
Language evolution and change
Language contact, with reference to the history of English in England
Old English (with a focus on Beowulf) - and the other languages of Britain in the past
Middle English (with a focus on Chaucer)
Early Modern English (with a focus on Shakespeare)
Late Modern English (with a focus on Samuel Johnson and Jonathan Swift)
Dialects and standard languages (with a focus on English in 19th and 20th century England)
English in Wales, Scotland and Ireland: historical overviews
English -- and other languages -- in Britain today

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Upon successful completion of this course, students should: * demonstrate understanding of the ways in which languages evolve and change* understand processes of standardization, both in relation to English and other languages * demonstrate a knowledge of broad trends in the historical development of English in England* understand the way English has been affected by contact with other languages, and how its learning and use can have an impact on other languages

Indicative reading list

Barber, C., Beal J. C. & Shaw, P.A. (2009). The English Language. A Historical Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge: University Press.
Baugh, A. C. & Cable, T. (2002). A history of the English language. 5th edition. London: Routledge.
Crystal, D. (1997). English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fennell, B. (2001). A history of English: A sociolinguistic approach. Oxford: Blackwell.
Graddol, D. (2006). English next. London: The British Council.
Hough, C. & Corbett, J. (2013) (2nd ed.) Beginning old English Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pennycook, A. (1994). The cultural politics of English as an international language. Harlow: Longman.
Pons-Sanz, S.M. (2014). The language of early English literature: From Caedmon to Milton. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Svartvik, J & Leech, G. (2006). English: One tongue, many voices. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Research element

In this module, students will engage in and report on interviews, be trained in and engage in library research, and be involved in browsing and closely analysing Old, Middle and Early / Late Modern English texts in digital archives.

Interdisciplinary

The module integrates insights from sociolinguistics, geography, history, literary history, history of linguistics and historical linguistics.

International

Students sill gain an awareness of different varieties of and attitudes towards English around the world, including via direct interaction with speakers of English from various countries. They will learn about colonization and its effects in connection with the global spread of English, and gain an increased appreciation of the different uses to which English is put in multilingual contexts. The development of English in Britain will also be viewed from a multilingual / intercultural perspective, in relation to processes of colonization within the British Isles (Wales, Scotland, Ireland) and wider European developments.

Subject specific skills

• Develop an understanding of how English has become a global language.
• Develop an enhanced awareness of current issues related to its global spread and influence on other languages.
• Develop an understanding of how the English language has changed over time.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the historical and global complexity of the English language.

Transferable skills

• Develop ability to analyse how English was / is used in different historical periods and different geographical regions
• Analyse language in general and the English language in particular at every level from the word to its place in society at large.
• Develop a solid grasp of the theories and research findings related to language acquisition, language use and applied linguistics.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of the nature of language and how it is used in communication between people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Develop the ability to learn independently and to gain intellectual breadth and flexibility