Areas of Study

English Language and Linguistics

Students in the English Department may pursue an emphasis in English Language and Linguistics at the undergraduate as well as the graduate level (both MA and PhD). The courses in this area of study offer a perspective on English that is rather distinct from that found elsewhere in the Department's courses. Students gain a greater appreciation for the English language by examining its structural complexities as well as its social functioning. Students also gain a set of analytical tools that will help them view language in a new light, whether that be the language of ordinary conversation, of literature, or of any other context.

The MU English faculty includes linguists who teach full-time in the English Language and Linguistics area as well as scholars in related fields who contribute breadth to our course offerings. In addition to undergraduate introductions to the field, we regularly offer courses for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in the structure and history of English as well as in the dialects of American English. Recent graduate seminars have explored topics such as grammatical theory, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, the linguistic analysis of literature, as well as Old and Middle English language and literature. Other courses of interest are offered by faculty from across campus through the interdepartmental program in Linguistics. An emphasis in linguistics might be combined with a secondary area such as literature, rhetoric and composition, or folklore to produce a well-balanced degree that can open the door to a range of career opportunities.

Faculty

• Vicki Carstens specializes in syntax and morphology, with an emphasis on exploring similarities and contrasts between African languages on the one hand and Western languages like English on the other.
• John Miles Foley specializes in Old English poetry and electronic media as well as ancient Greek and South Slavic oral traditions.
• Matthew Gordon specializes in sociolinguistics and dialectology with a particular focus on sound changes in American English.
• Johanna Kramer specializes in Anglo-Saxon and other Germanic literatures and cultures with a focus on Old English and Anglo-Latin religious literature.

Courses Regularly Offered

• 1060: Human Language
• 4600/7600: The Structure of American English
• 4610/7610: The History of the English Language
• 4620/7620: Regional and Social Dialects of American English
• 4630/7630: Phonology
• 4640/7640: Syntax
• 8600: Studies in the English Language

address: 107 Tate Hall, Columbia, MO 65211-1500
phone: 573.882.6421 | fax: 573.882.5785 | department email: umcenglish@missouri.edu

website email: englishweb@missouri.edu
maintained by Sarah Zurhellen

English Department | College of Arts and Science | University of Missouri
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