ENG 346: Aspects of the English Language

Objectives Language means everything. Through words--spoken, written, or signed--we propose and seal, agree and argue, analyze and worship, amuse and enlighten. They are between us, around us, and within us. Any understanding of these invisible, intangible, omnipotent entities, then, must make us more insightful, effective, and sentient in everything we do. In this course, we will pursue this understanding by examining many fascinating facets of our own language, English, including its history, structure, and usage. We will cover this material with the following objectives in mind: Deeper appreciation of language: Our primary objective is to expand our understanding of how words make meaning. We will analyze language on several levels, including phonology (phoneme, assimilation, allophone), morphology (bound morpheme, inflection), and syntax (disjunct, transformation). We will pay special attention to the implications that many of these linguistic elements, such as syntactic ambiguity and the passive voice, have for semantics. Broader understanding of the humanities: Because language reflects a great deal about the people who speak it, this course also will provide you with an opportunity to look closely at how humans think and interact. During our units on psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics, for example, we will study children's acquisition of language, the way the brain processes language, and the nature and effects of dialect, register, slang, taboo, and other linguistic phenomena. Expanded cultural literacy: Because of the allusive nature of all language, names constitute a crucial part of a person's vocabulary. As we study language, you will expand your cultural vocabulary to include the names of many people (Noah Webster, Noam Chomsky), places (Danelaw, London), and events (Norman Conquest, Great Vowel Shift). Reading: Through our technical study of English, particularly its lexicon and syntax, you will expand your vocabulary and your ability to extract meaning from sophisticated syntax, thus preparing yourself to interpret the complex, often veiled messages you encounter in law, business, and the media. Research: You will learn to complement the knowledge you glean in class with knowledge you gather on your own through research. In addition to becoming familiar with standard linguistic reference materials (The Dictionary of American Regional English, The Oxford English Dictionary), you will polish several general research skills (paraphrasing, quoting, documenting). Communication: In a variety of assignments and other activities, you will develop essential skills in both writing (argumentation, organization, editing) and speaking (pronunciation, intonation). Technology: To complement these other skills, you will learn to make effective use of technology to find and share information. By the end of the course, you will be able to find material on the World Wide Web, communicate via a listserv and an online forum, and design a Web site. Supplies Required David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language Three-ring binder and ten dividers Three IBM-formatted computer diskettes An e-mail account A curious, active, and open mind Recommended The American Heritage College Dictionary Be Your Best You can expect me to be the best teacher I can be. I will be on time to class, give you my full attention and energy during every class discussion, respond thoughtfully to your oral comments and written assignments, and work hard to make this course interesting and rewarding. I expect you to be your best, as well. Although this course is no more difficult than most college courses, it demands regular attendance, a commitment to in-class discussion and writing, and a large amount of out-of-class preparation, including reading and writing assignments, library research, and study. I expect you to make these commitments, to show up to class on time and ready to work, to check your e-mail and the online forum for announcements, and to turn in neatly typed, carefully edited assignments on time. Please note that I will not accept late assignments except in the case of personal incapacitation, a death in the family, or an advance arrangement with me. For tips on improving your study habits, see Be Your Best.

Fall 1999 · 149 Dial · 8-8:50 MWF Professor Mark Canada 118 Dial, 521-6431 University of North Carolina at Pembroke canada@sassette.uncp.edu www.uncp.edu/home/canada Office Hours: 9:15-10:15 MTWRF Schedule History of English August 18: Be Your Best August 20: Proto-Indo-European August 23: Old English August 25: Old English August 27: Research August 30: Middle English September 1: Middle English September 3: Early Modern English September 6: No class (Labor Day) September 8: Early Modern English September 10: Modern English September 13: World English Structure of English September 15: Lexicon September 17: Lexicon September 20: Lexicon September 22: Lexicon September 24: Lexicon September 27: Lexicon September 29: Grammar October 1: Grammar October 4: Grammar October 6: Grammar October 8: Grammar October 11: Phonology October 13: Phonology October 15: No class (fall break) Sociolinguistics October 18: Semantics October 20: Writing October 22: Writing October 25: Dialect October 27: Dialect October 29: Dialect November 1: Slang November 3: Register November 5: Slang and register November 8: Jargon November 10-12: Sociolinguistics review Psycholinguistics November 15: Language acquisition November 17: Language acquisition November 19: Language acquisition November 22: Language between the sexes November 24: Idiolects November 26: No class (Thanksgiving vacation) November 29: Dyslexia December 1: Language and technology December 3: Language and technology December 6: Review

Assignments

Format

During class on the day an assignment is due, you must turn in a 9x12 envelope containing the following items in the order listed:

• The first item must be a hard copy of your final draft. This draft must be typed in an appropriate font, such as 12-point Times, and must be bound with a paper clip.
• Behind this final draft must be all of the material you used or created in preparing this assignment, including rough drafts, notes, and photocopies of all sources you quoted or paraphrased.
• The final item must be an IBM-formatted diskette containing all of your work on the assignment, including your outline, rough drafts, and final draft. This diskette should have a label with your name, e-mail address, and telephone number on it.

Write your name, e-mail address, and telephone number on the outside of this envelope and turn it into me when I request it in class. If you cannot be in class when I collect the assignment, you must notify me in advance. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in an F for the assignment.

Each project must be your own work. That is, except for properly cited quotations, every sentence and phrase must be in your own words. All interpretations, except for those properly cited, also must be your own. If you turn in someone else's work, use a source's exact words without placing these words in quotation marks, or use an interpretation you found in a source without giving credit to the source, you may fail this course. You must be prepared to prove that you have done all your own work by showing me your sources and discussing the details of your project with me in conference.

Criteria

Before you submit a final draft of any assignment, please review the following criteria, which I will use in grading each assignment:

• Content: The project should thoroughly address its subject with accurate, credible, timely, and relevant information. If the project is supposed to be argumentative, it should state a clear, substantive, contestable, and precise claim early and support this claim with appropriate evidence.
• Clarity: The project should present information in a clear, logical fashion. In particular, paragraphs generally should begin with precise topic sentences, followed by clear, well-organized sentences that support the topic sentence. The writer should use transitional words and phrases effectively to guide the reader through the information.
• Readability: The project should engage the reader with lively, concise writing and should generally lack typographical errors, as well as lapses in tone, register, punctuation, spelling, word choice, and grammar. The project should effectively incorporate source material with proper use of attribution, paraphrases, and quotations. Longer projects should begin with an engaging introduction and include a satisfying conclusion.
• Format: Parenthetical citations and the bibliography or list of works cited should conform to MLA style. The project also should have a neat, professional appearance and conform to any particular format requirements set by the instructor.

Using a point system, I will assign grades as follows:

• A (90-100 percent): This project clearly meets all of these criteria, although it may contain one or two very minor lapses.
• B (80-89 percent): This project contains a few minor lapses, but otherwise generally meets the criteria for an A.
• C (70-79 percent): This project may contain more than a few minor lapses or one major lapse. Nevertheless, it adequately meets the requirements of the assignment.
• D (60-69 percent): This project may be strong in one area, but it contains many minor or major lapses and, as a result, does not adequately meet the requirements of the assignment.
• F (below 60 percent): This project contains plagiarism or an overwhelming number of lapses that make it an inadequate response to the assignment.

Quizzes (40 points)

Throughout the semester you will have several opportunities to apply your knowledge of language in quizzes, which may take the form of exercises, short-answer tests, or essay questions. These quizzes will cover linguistic terms and concepts, as well as background material, such as information about significant people, places, and events. In some cases, I will post quiz questions on the course's online forum and ask you to respond in this same forum. In other cases, I will give quizzes during class. Because I often will allow you to refer to your portfolios to write this essay, you will want to take extensive notes on your reading and on class activities, including group and class discussions. Furthermore, because some quizzes will call on you to synthesize both new and old information, you should review these notes each week. To earn credit for these quizzes, you must respond to questions on the discussion forum before class begins and be present when I assign in-class quizzes.

World Wide Web Page (20 points)

Please visit All American: Literature, History, and Culture, a World Wide Web site that I have created with the help of my students, and become familiar with this site's content and format. In this assignment, your group will create an individual Web page for possible publication on All American. This page, which you should aim at readers with little or no knowledge of linguistics, will provide a thorough introduction to one of the following aspects of American English: dialect, taboo, euphemism, slang, register, or jargon. Your group's page should include the following elements:

• a title bar indicating the period you are covering (Colonial America, 1607-1783; Antebellum and Civil War America, 1784-1865; Postbellum America, 1866-1913; or Modern America, 1914-present);
• a word or phrase indicating the subject you are covering in this period;
• a byline featuring your names, followed by a line saying, "Students, University of North Carolina at Pembroke";
• a 600-word essay that describes your subject, defines relevant terms, summarizes major issues relevant to this subject, and supports these points by referring to at least two articles or books by scholars;
• an annotated bibliography that analyzes the content, timeliness, and credibility of at least two relevant scholarly sources;
• a sidebar featuring lists of relevant people, places, events, and subjects;
• links to at least two relevant Internet sites, such as sites with more information about the subject;
• an exercise through which users can study this subject.

On an assigned day, your group will introduce this concept to the rest of the class through an oral presentation lasting 20-30 minutes and featuring the following elements:

• a demonstration of the group's Web page;
• an interactive class discussion involving the exercise on the page.

Article (20 points)

Choose a particular topic relevant to your group's subject. For example, if your group built a Web page on slang, you might do some research on the particular slang used by women in a modern college sorority. In an article of about 1,000 words, analyze this element in depth. Your article should appear in the form of a World Wide Web page and should contain the following components:

• an introduction that engages the reader and states a claim;
• one or two paragraphs providing background material, such as information on relevant people, places, events, and definitions;
• several paragraphs that support the claim with material gathered from research on primary sources, such as interviews or surveys, as well as properly cited material from at least two scholarly sources;
• a conclusion that leaves the reader feeling enlightened and satisfied;
• a list of works cited conforming to MLA format;
• links to other relevant, credible World Wide Web sites if any are available.

Portfolio (20 points)

When you invest a large portion of your time and energy in a class for several weeks, you should expect something more than a grade in return. If you work hard in this course, you can receive a good grade, but you also can receive several other, more lasting and important benefits, including a foundation of knowledge and skills. To strengthen this foundation, you will prepare a language portfolio with the following components:

• a 250-word introductory essay highlighting the most important material you learned in the course and explaining the relevance of this material to your life, studies, or career;
• all of your notes, exercises, quizzes, bibliographies, and printouts, separated by dividers into the categories of history, phonology, morphology, lexicon, syntax, semantics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics;
• printouts of your group's World Wide Web page and your analytical essay;
• concise captions in which you reflect on what you learned from studying each component of the language and from creating the World Wide Web page and article.

I hope that this portfolio's value to you will outlast this semester and that you will continue to consult it and add to it as you encounter language in the years to come. You may even want to show it to friends, parents, prospective employers, and--someday--grandchildren to demonstrate all that you have learned this semester about language and life.

Updated August 17, 1999 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke
© Mark Canada, 1999 | canada@sassette.uncp.edu