ENG5612 - History of English 2: From Shakespeare's English to Global Englishes

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Outline and describe some of the processes by which Middle English developed into the standardised form of Modern English in the UK.
Outline a narrative of the development of English from an insular to a global language.
Demonstrate understanding of historical reasons for the emergence of English as a global language, and theoretical frameworks for the discussion of this phenomenon.
Comment on examples of English usage from different historical periods and different parts of the world, identifying distinctive features and relating these to a historical narrative.
Identify and use appropriate sources for research into the history of English and variety in Global Englishes.

Content:

Students will begin the module by learning about some of the characteristics of Early Modern English and key historical developments in the emergence and standardisation of Modern English, including some aspects of the history of English spelling, and lexicography. In the second part of the module they will be introduced to some theoretical frameworks for understanding and describing the global spread of English and will analyse selected texts from a range of Global Englishes.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The main form of teaching session will be the seminar, where concepts and skills will be introduced by the lecturer and learned through practical application - specific tasks, problem-solving, discussion and collaborative close reading of texts, with regular provision of formative feedback on those activities, including through online quizzes. There will be two two-hour seminars each week. Additional resources and support for guided independent study will be provided via Moodle and through availability of weekly staff drop-in times for advice, clarification, discussion of assignment plans etc.

Seminars
Hours: 40
Intended Group Size: 15

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Assessment:

001 Negotiated assessment; mid-semester 1 40%
002 Essay; 2,000 words; end of semester 1 60%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Richard Storer
Level - 5
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5S1

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