Areas of Study | English Language and Linguistics | Course Descriptions

English Language and Linguistics

Course Descriptions

1060: Human Language (Matthew Gordon)

Language is a uniquely human achievement, a development that sets us apart from other animals. It is a powerful tool that we use during our every waking hour (and during much of our sleep). Still, we rarely stop to appreciate the complex role it plays in our everyday life. This course explores language from a variety of perspectives. We will consider the structure of language, looking at how sounds combine to form words and how words combine to form sentences. To gain a sense of the diversity of linguistic structures, we will consider examples from a variety of the world's languages. We will also investigate the social functioning of language. We will learn about American dialects and about differences in the speech of men and women. Along the way, we will take on a number of popular myths about "primitive" languages, grammar rules, the language of the media, etc. In sum, the course will teach you how to make nouns plural in Swahili, how to recognize St. Louisans by their dialect and, most importantly, how to think critically about language.

4600/7600: Structure of American English (Vicki Carstens)

The primary focus of this course is the syntax of American English, that is, the formation of its sentences and phrases. The course also surveys other aspects of linguistic structure: phonetics (speech sounds), phonology (the grammar of sounds), and morphology (word structure). The approach is that of generative grammar as developed in the work of Noam Chomsky and others. Graded work: 4 in-class tests and 8-9 homeworks. Required texts: An ERes packet, and The Language Instinct by S. Pinker. (Same as Linguistics 4600/7600)

4610/7610: History of the English Language (Matthew Gordon)

This course examines the history of English from the prehistoric roots that bind it to other languages of Europe and Asia, through the period of its earliest attestation, and into the modern era. We will see that English has undergone dramatic alterations throughout its life, and we will look at changes in sounds, grammar, meaning, and vocabulary. To understand these changes and why they occur, we will look for explanations in both the structure of the language and in the social history of its speakers. We will approach the subject from the perspective of modern linguistics and will, therefore, also develop familiarity with the theory and analytical methods of this field. (Same as Linguistics 4610/7610)

4610/7610: History of the English Language (Johanna Kramer)

This course traces the history of the English language from its prehistoric but reconstructable roots in Indo-European through its earliest written records into the present and its spread across the globe. As we investigate the many fundamental changes that English has undergone in terms of morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics, graphics, and vocabulary, we will also explore the social, cultural, and historical forces that affect language transformation. As by nature the course has a strong linguistic component, you can expect to become familiar with some basic methodology and terminology of historical linguistics, and we will spend a good deal of time talking about grammar. The course emphasizes the pre-modern history of English. In addition to regular readings, homework assignments, and active class participation, requirements include two exams and two shorter essays.

4620/7620: Regional and Social Dialects of American English (Matthew Gordon)

This course examines how the English language varies in the U.S. along regional and social lines. We will study differences in pronunciation, word choice, and grammar. You will learn how American dialects differ and also how linguists investigate these differences. Special attention is also given to the status of dialects in U.S. society as we consider the political and educational implications of linguistic variation. In addition to exams and regular homework assignments, students will conduct research projects involving the collection and analysis of linguistic data. Prerequisite: Engl/Ling 4600, 4610, or equivalent.

4630/7630: Phonology (Tivoli Majors)

Phonology is the study of how sounds pattern in language. The course will begin with an overview of phonetics where we will look at how human sounds are actually produced and t ranscribed into written form. We will look at how sounds pattern differently in different languages; for instance, how are the sounds /l/ and /r/ different in English and Japanese? We will also look briefly at syllable structures (why can blork be an English word but zbokl can't?), metrical structure (iambic pentameter, anyone?), and questions of tone and intonation. Time permitting, we may also look at different approaches to phonological theory – linear, non-linear, and constraint-based.

4640/7640: Syntax (Vicki Carstens)

The course provides an in-depth study of the universal properties of phrase- and sentence-level grammar, based on comparison of English and other languages. Prerequisite: English/Ling 4600 or another comparable linguistics course. The approach will be that of Noam Chomsky's Minimalist program. Required text: Adger, David. 2003. Core Syntax. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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