Ateneo - UPO

Historical background and Language change from Old English to Late Modern English: periodisation, historical and social stratification; regional varieties.

The main features of Old English (449-1100 circa), Middle English (1100-1500 circa), Early and Late Modern English (1500-1800): language on the move (spelling, phonology, lexis, morphosyntax); external influences (Latin, Latinate languages, other languages); standardising processes over time.

COMPULSORY HANDBOOKS (all the students)

- McIntyre, Dan. 2020 (2nd) [2008]. History of English. A Resource Book for Students. London and New York: Routledge.
- In-depth reading of journal articles on specific topics (see DIR).
- Original texts for exemplification and linguistic analysis (see DIR).

FURTHER REFERENCES (self study)

- Gramley, Stephan. 2019 (2nd) [2012]. The History of English. An Introduction. London and New York: Routledge.
- Mugglestone, Lynda. 2012 [2006] The Oxford History of English (updated edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

This 30-hour workshop is aimed at introducing and discussing the English language from its origin to the Late Modern Times.
The focus is both on the external history of English (historical and socio-cultural issues), and on language features (phonological, ortographic, lexical and morphosyntactic changes).

This workshop contents and topics, language skills and activities, the final exam, as well as the assessment criteria applied, refer to B2+/C1 level of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference).

Language skills at an advanced level: min. B2+, but C1 is preferred (CEFR).

Lectures and practical activities.

This seminar counts for 6 cfu/30 hours of activity on site.
It will be held in the first semester, from Octobery to December 2023.

This seminar is addressed to 3rd year BA STUDENTS (Laurea Triennale), and to MA STUDENTS (Laurea Magistrale).

SYLLABUS VALID UNTIL: Winter Exam Session 2025 (January-February)

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT + oral presentation

Students/Participants will be assigned a topic out of those discussed during the workshop. The topic/text will be analysed individually (self study) in detail, and handed to the teacher as a written report (about 1000 words).

The exam includes the oral presentation of the written report, and the discussion on the course contents.
Further details will be delivered during the workshop.

The written report counts as 25% of the final grade, the oral presentation as the remaining 75%. Students will pass their exam if they get min. 18/30 in both of them.
With reference to the 'Intended learning objectives' (see below), the following grades correspond to different skills: 18-22/30-sufficient, 23-25/30-satisfying, 26-28/30 good, 29-30 lode-very good.

ORAL EXAM ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: 1. appropriate presentation and discussion of topics, notions, and concepts; 2. discourse organisation; 3. lexical richness and accuracy; 4. lexical propriety; 5. lexical variety; 6. detailed text analysis (especially related to spelling variants, phonological system, and morpho-syntax of the varieties examined and discussed); 7. discourse skills.

See ‘Contenuti’.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The methodological approach and the activities carried out (introduction and discussion on the most relevant language features, language change over time, reading of primary sources/variety of text types, linguistic analysis, and historical debate on language issues) will make the students aware of the main and fundamental processes (internal and external to the language) which affected English, and transformed it over time (standardising issues).

APPLIED KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Students will be able to identify graphic, phonological, lexical, and morphosyntactic issues, as well as analyse, connect and discuss them in historical context (Old English, Middle English, Early and Late Modern English), and in present-day perspective.

Linguistic knowledge and language understanding will be used at a practical level, and applied to the many disciplinary research and professional contexts.