Course Details

ENGL 204: History of the English Language

This class teaches the history of the English language through the prism of sociolinguistics. Along with teaching phonology, the basics of Old and Middle English, and changes in morphology, pronunciation and vocabulary over time, the course will explore how language both shapes and is shaped by society. We will use the history of English as a vehicle for exploring issues of imperialism, class, and politics that arose throughout the language’s development. Along the way, students see how language plays an active role in both perpetuating and resolving communities’ thorniest social problems, in the past and in the present day.
6 credits; HI, WR2; Not offered 2020-2021