School of

Humanities,
Languages and
Social Sciences

Undergraduate Module Handbook

2008-09

Module title: The Cultural History of English

Module code: UPLQ9N-30-3

Department of Languages, Linguistics and Area

Studies

Module Leader Prof. Richard Coates

Module Leader's office hour Tuesday and Friday 1230-1330 in
term-time only
Module Leader’s phone number 83278
Module Leader's email address Richard.Coates@uwe.ac.uk

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University of the West of England

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Contents
Page No.
1Introduction................................................................................................ ...............4
2Learning Outcomes.................................................................................................. .4
3Teaching & Learning Methods................................................................................. ..5
4Module Programme........................................................................ ..........................5
5Assessments................................................................................ ............................9
a.Assessment details of first and referral opportunities............................... ............9
b.Assessment/Mark criteria and Marking Statement........................... ..................10
d.Details of referral coursework............................................... .............................15
e.Module specific information.................................................................................. ..15
Facilities and Resources........................................................................... ............15
Previous Exam Papers........................................................... ..............................15
Source Material............................................................................................... ......15
f.Other Sources of Information .................................................................. ...............16

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 1 Introduction
This module examines the relation between the various dialects of English over a
period of more than a thousand years, the relation between English and competitor
languages in the British Isles, the position of English in relation to the great cultural
movements of the second millennium, and the position of English outside the British
Isles. It also covers sociolinguistic aspects of literacy and education, and provides an
understanding of the changes which English has undergone in the light of general
theories of language change.

Syllabus outline

• the medieval triglossia (English, Latin and Anglo-Norman);

• lexical and other types of borrowing;
• the manuscript tradition;
• the impact of medieval technology;
• standardization pressures from about 1400 onwards;
• English, the Renaissance and the Reformation;
• decline in status of the dialects;
• rise of dialect literature;
• language in education;
• social spread of English literacy;
• the origin of worrying about one’s English;
• English as an auxiliary language;
• roles of English in the modern world.

Students will study key texts in different varieties of English during their seminars.
These texts will normally be supplied in advance by the tutor, but note that appendix 4
of Culpeper is quite useful. These topics will be covered alongside a consideration of
the nature of language change in more theoretical terms, and a consideration of
some of the changes in progress in English nowadays. Attendance at seminars is
considered crucial by way of preparation for the assessments.

The main thrust of the course is historical and cultural, and most of the reading points
you in that direction. But you will need to know something about the linguistic
structures of the English language at various periods, and you shouldn’t be tempted
neglect that side of the reading just because that’s more difficult.

2 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module the successful student will be able to:

Understand and evaluate:

• the changing relationships between distinct varieties of English (standard and dialects) since the
end of the Anglo-Saxon period, mainly within the British Isles
• the impact of technological change on English
• the changing role of English in education and in international contexts

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Engage in descriptive and theoretical academic discussion about language change as it has affected and
continues to affect English

Produce coherent essays on specified topics within the range mentioned, and produce a larger piece of
work offering more scope for the expression of independent and original thought.

Show, in an unseen examination, that they have mastered key concepts over a wide range of topics in the
first half of the module.

3 Teaching & Learning Methods

There will be a weekly lecture, and weekly seminars of one hour. Lecture-notes will be placed
on the course web-page. These events will be backed up, when the tutor has the relevant
competences, by discussion using electronic fora. Working in groups for class preparation is
encouraged, though there will not be any groupwork assessments. Seminars may involve
prepared presentations by students, and class discussion of tutor-supplied material.

The essential learning methods are guided reading, task-oriented self-study, guided writing,
peer discussion and tutor-guided discussion, and feedback on oral and written products.
There will be occasional informal class tests or quizzes.

4 Module Programme
READING

Students will be expected to purchase the essential textbooks. They will be encouraged to
read widely using the library catalogue, a variety of bibliographic and full text databases and
internet resources. The tutor will provide weekly bibliographies of material to guide this
reading, but not to totally determine it (especially in TB2). It is expected that bibliographies
and reference lists in submitted work will reflect the range of reading carried out.

Each seminar during the first term of teaching has a selection of key reading, usually journal articles,
web-pages, or extracts from one or more books. In the second term of teaching, students are
encouraged to carry out more independent work.

The main course texts for both TB1 and TB 2, useful week on week, are:

Baugh, Albert, and Thomas Cable (2002) A history of the English language, 5th edn.
Routledge.
and also
Crystal, David (2004) The stories of English. Allen Lane. (Abbreviated as SE below.)

If you want to save expense, perhaps you could consider pairing up to share the cost
of these key books. Working together is a good idea in any case; discuss things with
each other by all means, and use the discussion area of Blackboard for the course, but
you are strongly advised not to take notes together, share notes, or write together,
for fear of committing accidental plagiarism.

Also of great interest and usefulness are the following books:

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Barber, Charles (1993) The English language: a historical introduction. CUP.
Bauer, Laurie (1994) Watching English change. Longman.
Blake, N.F. (1996) A history of the English language. Macmillan.
Bragg, Melvyn (2003) The adventure of English. Hodder and Stoughton.
Burchfield, Robert (1994) The Cambridge history of the English language, vol. 5:
English in Britain and overseas: origin and development. CUP.
[Certain chapters only.]
Burnley, David (1992) The history of the English language: a sourcebook. London:
Longman. [Fascinating collection of texts in English of various periods
and of writings about English.]
Crystal, David (newest edn) The Cambridge encyclopedia of the English language.
CUP. (Abbreviated as EEL below.)
Culpeper, Jonathan (2005) History of English, 2nd edn. Routledge. [Relatively easy,
but probably not sufficient by itself for what students have to do.]
Fennell, Barbara (2001) A history of English: a sociolinguistic approach. Blackwell.
Freeborn, Dennis (2006) From Old English to Standard English, 3rd edn. Palgrave.
Graddol, David, and others, eds (1996) English: history, diversity and change.
London: Routledge.
Leith, Dick (1983) A social history of English. Routledge.
van Kemenade, Ans, and Bettelou Los, eds (2006) The handbook of the history of
English. Blackwell. [Sections 5 and 6 only.]

For meatier stuff, use the following as your main authoritative guide:

Hogg, Richard, and David Denison, eds (2006) A history of the English language.
CUP, esp. chapters 1 and 5 and 7-9.

Note that Jonathan Culpeper will be coming to give a lecture at UWE during TB2.
You should come and hear him.

You must come to each week’s seminar having read at the very least the prescribed
sections of Baugh and of Crystal SE (Stories) indicated below. Read as much as
possible of the other suggested texts. If you can’t find the required reading, read
anything else you can lay your hands on regarding the topic in question. Use the
Library (around shelfmark 420), and use web resources if you can find nothing else.
I’ll alert you as TB1 progresses to any particularly useful web-sites. Further detailed,
more specialized, reading will be suggested as the course progresses.

But read intelligently: not every word in every suggested text is directly relevant to
the week’s work, but bits of other sections no doubt will be. Don’t just do the
minimum. Use the indexes of your books wisely.

Experience on the first run of this course in 2007-8 suggests that some students
severely underestimate the amount of work, including constant refreshers, that this
course requires. SERIOUS ADVICE: DON’T CHOOSE WHAT ESSAY YOU WANT
TO WRITE AS YOUR FIRST COURSEWORK EARLY IN TB1 AND DECIDE
THAT OTHER SEMINARS ARE DISPENSABLE. YOU WILL CRASH IN THE
WEEK 12, TB1, CONTINUOUS ASSESSSMENT CLASS TEST. MUCH CLASS

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DISCUSSION IN TB2 WILL BR DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE SECOND
COURSEWORK.

WEEKLY TOPIC LIST, TB1

TB1: The main line of the history of English

Read Baugh, chapter 1 (sections 1-12), and/or Fennell, chapter 2, before

the course starts

1 Where English came from and what it met

Baugh, sections 29-37
Crystal SE, introduction and chapter 1
Crystal EEL, The origins of English
Culpeper, ch. 1 and appendix 2
Blake, chapters 1 and 2
Freeborn, section 2
Graddol, ch. 3
2 Language change: variation, evolution and contact
Fennell, chapter 1
Freeborn, section 1
Aitchison, Jean, Language change: progress or decay? , 3rd edn. CUP. (Or
any other work on language change in general.)
Culpeper, chs 2, 6-8
3 Old English and its competitors
Baugh, chapter 4 (sections 53-80)
Crystal SE, chapter 3
Crystal EEL, Old English
Bragg, chapter 2
Fennell, chapter 3.1 and 3.3-3.5
Freeborn, section 3
4 Old English
Baugh, sections 39-52
Crystal SE, chapters 2-4
Fennell, chapter 3.2
Blake, chapter 4
Freeborn, sections 3 and 4
Burnley, on Old English
5 The medieval triglossia and its collapse
Baugh, chapters 5 and 6 (sections 81-110), and sections 123-133
Crystal SE, chapter 6 and interlude 6
Bragg, chapters 3-6
Fennell, chapter 4.1 and 4.4
Crystal EEL, Middle English
Culpeper, chs 4 and 5
6 Middle English
Baugh, sections 111-141
Crystal SE, interlude 4, chapter 5, interlude 5
Fennell, chapter 4.2

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 Freeborn, sections 5-13
Burnley, on Middle English and Later Middle English
7 Medieval libraries, and the technology of writing and printing
Crystal SE, chapter 11
Crystal EEL, Early Modern English
Graddol, ch. 3
Three good web-sites about manuscript production:
http://www.ceu.hu/medstud/manual/MMM/
http://www.sca.org.au/lochac/artsci/articles/scribes.html
http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/markport/lit/introlit/ms.htm
Search for biographical information about William Caxton and his printing
press
8 The roots of Standard English and the social spread of writing
Baugh, chapter 7 (esp. sections 146-151)
Crystal SE, chapter 14
Bragg, chapter 8
Fennell, chapter 4.4
Blake, chapter 8
Freeborn, section 14
Graddol, ch. 4
9 The Renaissance and the inflation of English
Baugh, sections 142-5 AND chapter 8 (sections 152-85)
Crystal SE, chapters 12 and 13
Crystal EEL, Early Modern English
Bragg, chapters 7 and 10-12
Fennell, chapter 5.4
Freeborn, units on loanwords in sections 14-18
Burnley, on Early Modern English
10 Private enterprise and anxiety: Swift, Johnson and the planners
Baugh, chapter 9 (sections 186-210) AND sections 231-2
Crystal SE, chapter 10 and interlude 10, interlude 11, chapter 15 and interlude
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Crystal SE, chapter 16
Crystal EEL, Early Modern English AND Modern English
Fennell, chapter 5.2.6
Blake, chapter 9
Graddol, ch. 4
11 The confidence of industry and Empire: written English and the dialects after 1800
Baugh, chapter 10 (esp. sections 211-226)
Crystal SE, chapter 16
Fennell, chapter 6.1, 6.3 and 6.4
Culpeper, chs 9 and 10
Blake, chapter 10
Freeborn, section 19
Burnley, on Modern English
Coates, Richard, A guide to the history of dialect. In preparation. The general
opening chapter will be circulated.
12 Class test and preparation for essay

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WEEKLY TOPIC LIST, TB2

Reading for TB2 will be circulated later.

TB2: English in the modern world

13 English abroad
14 English pidgins and creoles
15 English as an academic subject
16 Standard English in education
17 Changing Modern English
18 Who owns English? Polyfocality as a way of life
19 Grammer, pronounciation and speling: who cares about English?
20 Scandalous monolingualism: how the 21st century looks in the light of history
21-24 Preparation for long essay with individual tutorials. In week 21, you should all
visit the tutor with a thought-out outline of your main essay.

5 Assessments

a. Assessment details of first and referral

opportunities

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity

Component A (exam)
Component weighting 25%

Description of each element

One unseen exam lasting 2 hours in the January assessment period, consisting of mainly
factual questions designed to test the essential knowledge on which TB2 work will build.

Component B (coursework)
Component weighting 75%

Description of each element

One essay of approximately 2000 words from a supplied list, testing the student’s ability to
prepare, at an elementary or preparatory level, a coherent account of a specified topic in
which s/he shows understanding, and/or effects an evaluation, of ideas derived from a range
of academic sources. See (c.) below for the list of titles. Submitted in the January submission
period. This element contributes 30% of component B.

Final assignment in TB2 – essay of 3000 words testing the student’s ability to benefit from
guided reading, to engage in task-oriented self-study, and to produce, with guidance, a fairly
substantial written academic exercise (with the opportunity for original research), in one of the
areas specified in learning outcomes. This element contributes 70% of component B.

These coursework elements are weighted 30% and 70% of component B respectively, and
together make up 75% of the assessment of the course as a whole.

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 b. Assessment/Mark criteria and Marking Statement

Criteria for assessment of coursework:

80+% The coursework is very clearly structured. The subject is discussed from
different points of view, and the student's evaluation of these different points of view
is mature and balanced. There is a clear theoretical basis to the coursework. The
argumentation is transparent and logical in all respects, making this an exemplary
piece of coursework in relation to its intellectual depth and its level of critical
analysis, and the way in which data/texts are analysed. The sources used are of a high
level of complexity, and the referencing is carried out conscientiously and accurately.
The presentation is very careful and accurate. The conclusion reached is often original
and clearly follows from the argumentation in the paper.

70-79% The coursework has a clear and logical structure with a balanced treatment
of the subject. There is a clear and close link with the objectives and argument set out
in the introduction. Arguments are clearly and fully developed, and clear reference is
made to relevant theories, wherever applicable. The coursework displays intellectual
depth and a high level of critical analysis. The analysis of the data/texts (wherever
applicable) is of a very high quality. A wide range of sources is used and referenced,
there is some originality of thought and the presentation (typing, page numbering,
correctly produced referencing, footnotes, bibliography) is careful and accurate.
Everything written is relevant and closely related to the title, and a conclusion is
clearly stated.

60-69% The coursework has a clear structure but may not always be fully developed;
the treatment of the subject is even-handed but may stray towards a particular bias;
there is a good link between the objectives set out in the introduction and the body of
the coursework. Arguments are mostly clearly and fully developed, though
theoretical issues could have been developed in more depth. The analysis of the
data/texts (wherever applicable) is generally of a high quality. There is a good level of
critical analysis displayed but there may be a tendency towards description. Most of
what is written is relevant to the title of the coursework and a satisfactory conclusion
is stated. A satisfactory range of sources is used but some aspects of the presentation
may be incomplete or incorrect.

50-59% The coursework has a structure that is broadly clear, but may give uneven
treatment to the elements of the structure; the objectives set out in the introduction
will be partly achieved in the body of the coursework. Arguments are partially
developed but some key features may be missing and references to essential
theoretical concepts may be vague or incomplete. The tendency towards description
predominates over the presence of analysis. Some material irrelevant to the subject of
the coursework is present. There is some analysis of data/texts (wherever applicable),
but the analysis lacks depth. Presentation is on the whole acceptable, but an element
may be missing or badly done. A conclusion is usually present but it may not
adequately draw together and link the arguments, or go beyond simple repetition.

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40-49% The coursework is not always clear in its structure and consequently lacks
logical development in a number of respects. The treatment of the subject is biased
towards limited sources, or shows lack of full understanding of the issues involved.
There are some references to essential theoretical concepts, but these are not well
understood. The introduction is incomplete or does not adequately relate to the body
of the coursework. Critical analysis is less obvious than a descriptive presentation of
the facts, which may be inaccurate. Sources used are limited or there is no
correlation between sources and references. The analysis of the data/texts (wherever
applicable) is not very satisfactory. References are limited and irrelevant material is
present. Presentation is flawed in two or three respects and a clear conclusion may
not be apparent.

30-39%+ There is a major problem of structural progression in the coursework, there

is a deviation from the title, logical development is largely absent and the coursework
displays little understanding of the issues and the theoretical concepts involved. Few
sources are used, there may be only a token introduction and it may not relate very
closely to the body of the coursework. Much irrelevant material is present. There is
virtually no analysis of data/texts (wherever applicable). There is very little critical
analysis and there are numerous factual errors. References are limited and poorly
executed, and overall presentation is weak. the coursework arrives at no conclusion.

20-29% The coursework has no coherent structure, relates only marginally to the title
and has little logical development and no understanding of the issues or theoretical
concepts. Sources may not be referred to at all, or are few in number. If an
introduction is attempted it bears little relation to the structure. There is no critical
analysis, errors of fact abound and facts are presented without evaluation. The
analysis of the data/texts (wherever applicable) is unsatisfactory or entirely absent.
There is a great deal of irrelevant material unrelated to the title and there is no
conclusion. Presentation is weak in all respects.

0-19% The coursework is largely incomprehensible. The topic is poorly understood

and the overall presentation is entirely unsatisfactory. There is no evidence of critical
distance to the data or theoretical concepts used. There is virtually no recognisable
structure to the coursework and referencing is either absent or totally inadequate. The
student provides virtually no relevant data to be analysed (if applicable) and the
analysis of the data provided is entirely unsatisfactory.
Criteria for the assessment of coursework in Linguistics

Content (60%)

Marks to be awarded for

- relevance of the content with respect to the task being set
- originality of the content
- evidence of relevant reading, which is discussed critically
- clarity of expression of the ideas
- understanding of concepts and theories
- ability to present arguments for and against ideas, theories, hypotheses
- ability to critically evaluate those arguments

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- appropriate use and discussion of tables/figures/graphs

Structure (15%)
Marks to be awarded for
- clear introduction with an outline of the paper, research questions (if applicable)
- structured paragraphs with relevant subheadings
- clear conclusion, with a summary of the main points and reference to questions for
further study

Referencing/quotations (10%)
Marks to be awarded for
- correct referencing according to Linguistics guidelines
- appropriate and purposeful use of quotations

Language Skills (10%)

Marks to be awarded for
- ability to write fluently (to present, argue, illustrate)
- conventional grammar, spelling, punctuation

Presentation (5%)
Marks to be awarded for
- ability to use a word processor effectively
- presentation of figures, graphs
- careful lay-out

Department of LLAS marking statement

The University policy is that coursework will be returned to students within

four working weeks of submission.

Tutors in LLAS aim to return coursework to students within three working

weeks from the date of submission. The reason it takes this long is:

• The number of assignments. Tutors often have large numbers

of assignments to mark.
• We take care with our marking. Carefully reading say a 2000-word
essay, commenting on your script and writing comments on the
feedback sheet can take a good deal of time. We work to ensure you
are marked fairly and that you receive advice which will be helpful for
the future. This cannot be achieved in a hurry.
• Marking has to be internally moderated. When markers complete their
marking a sample of the assignments are reviewed by a second
marker. This is to ensure that marking is fair and at the standard
required. Where a module is taught by a team of tutors several markers
are involved. Only after they have all finished marking can moderation
be completed. After moderation has taken place on level 2 and 3
modules moderated assignments have to be photocopied for

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presentation to our external examiners who ensure our marking
standards conform to those of other universities.

c. Coursework
CWK 1: an essay of about 2000 words on one of the following
topics:

1. What factors encouraged the eventual dominance of English

in England by 1500? What traces did the “losers” leave on
English?

2. What were the main results of contact between English and

other European languages (including Latin and Greek) between
1500 and 1700? Was the impact on English permanent?

3. Why was the stabilization of English such a big issue for

intellectuals between 1660 and 1800? Did they succeed with
their goals?

4. What form did academic and popular interest in English

dialects take between 1750 and 1900? What form does it take
now?

5. Assess the impact of printing on the direction of change in the

English language. To what extent can it be usefully compared
with the impact of computer literacy today?

6. Choose 25 English words at random and ascertain their origin

and history. Discuss carefully to what extent, and how, they
illustrate the history of the English language.

Notice that each title has an element requiring you to show

knowledge of the literature, and an element requiring you to
show the capacity to evaluate the information you derive from it.

Assessment to be handed in to HLSS reception, Frenchay campus,

before 2pm. on Thursday 15 January 2009.

CWK 2: an essay of about 3000 words on one of the following

topics:

1. Give a reasoned analysis of the case(s) for and against

tutors correcting the written English of native speakers in
academic essays. Your conclusion should offer definitive advice
on the matter to a policymaker.

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2. “… the New England common people … have been
sequestered in some measure from the world, and their
language has not suffered material changes from their first
settlement to the present time. Hence most of the phrases used
by Shakespear, Congreve, and other writers who have
described English manners and recorded the language of all
classes of people, are still heard in the common discourse of the
New England yeomanry.” (Noah Webster, 1789). What is the
significance of the claim made by some that US English is
“Elizabethan” or “Shakespearean”? What might it mean in
linguistic terms?

3. “America has never had a need for an official-language

policy, and in the current situation still does not.” Discuss. Briefly
advise the next US President on the attitude s/he should take on
this issue.

4. James Milroy and Lesley Milroy call non-standard English

“Real English” (1993). What is behind this name, and in what
sense, if any, are other varieties “unreal”?

5. “Since 1066 at least, knowledge of languages other than

English has been necessary for, and expected of, an educated
English person.” Discuss. Is that expectation still valid?
Depending on your viewpoint, what are the consequences?

6. To what extent is modern UK English receptive to lexical

borrowings? Using standard sources listing neologisms,
evaluate the proportions of borrowings and new creations using
English lexical material.

7. What factors are driving linguistic change in modern

British English? Illustrate with specific examples [other than
those discussed in the lectures]. To what extent is the outcome
of current variability and change predictable?

8. What are the current status(es) and function(s) of pidgin

and creole varieties of English in EITHER the UK OR the USA?
What are their prospects?

Notice that each title has an element requiring you to show

knowledge of the literature, and an element requiring you to
show the capacity to evaluate the information you derive from it.

Assessment to be handed in to HLSS reception, Frenchay campus,

before 2pm. on Thursday 1 May 2008.

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 d. Details of referral coursework

Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)

If you fail a component, University rules say that you must do again EACH ELEMENT
making up that component; so if you fail component B overall you will need to write
TWO essays for your second attempt EVEN IF you got a passing grade for one of them
at your first attempt.

CWK 1. An essay of 2000 words as described above, on a different topic from the supplied list
(see c. above for the list of titles).

CWK 2. An essay of 3000 words as described above, on a different topic from the supplied list
(see c. above for the list of titles).
.
These coursework elements are weighted 30% and 70% of component B respectively, and
together make up 75% of the assessment of the course as a whole.

Referral courswork to be handed in to HLSS reception, Frenchay

campus, before 2pm on a submission date in August to be advised.

e. Module specific information

You should refer to the School Student Handbook and University
Student Handbook for more general information.

Facilities and Resources

Students should make full use of the library facilities, reading lists
and web-sites provided by staff. Notes for lectures in both terms will
be placed on UWE Online in advance of lectures. They are not a
substitute for lectures (the tutor will comment on material as the
lecture proceeds); they are a reminder of the lectures.

Previous Exam Papers

This is a new course taught for the first time in 2007-8, and there
is no set of papers from further back than that.

Source Material

What is not in the course textbooks will be provided by

the tutor week by week.

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 f. Other Sources of Information
Web-resources will also be exploited, and the list monitored for
optimum currency.

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