English, History of English, advanced level

Aim

On completion of the course the student will on an advanced level be able to:

• conduct in-depth linguistic analyses and systematically integrate his/her knowledge of English linguistics from different perspectives
• analyse linguistic features typical of different eras and account for the development of the English language from Old English to Early Modern English with regards to the etymology, phonology, morphology, syntax, vocabulary and orthography of English
• independently apply a relevant linguistic method in a delimited study of the history of English
• consistently follow the accepted norms for academic writing in linguistics in terms of structure, citation and referencing
• use correct and suitable language for academic writing in English

Content

The course covers the development of the English language from Old English to Early Modern English based on a selection of texts from different eras. It also includes linguistic analysis as regards phonology, morphology, syntax, vocabulary and orthography. Taking a specific research question about the history of English as a point of departure, the student will also conduct an independent and delimited empirical study using a relevant linguistic method. The course may be included as part of the Master’s Course in English, 60 ECTS.