402 Syllabus

Dennis Baron

office: 251 English
phone 244-0568

office hours: Mon & Weds, 1 - 2 pm

and by appointment

English 402: Descriptive English Grammar or, The Idiot’s Guide to the English Language

Fall 2009

In this course we will study the English language: how we use it; how it uses us. We will learn and practice techniques for describing English, both its words and sentences and larger elements of discourse in context. We will look at the social, historical, and political forces that shape language and its use. And we will suggest ways to use what we learn about language both in the classroom and in the professional world.

Class policies:

Attendance: This is a discussion course. Your presence is essential, as is your participation: without both of these elements, as Capt. Renault says to Rick in Casablanca, you will find the conversation a trifle one-sided. Worse than that, excessive absence and poor preparation will affect your final grade. However, because the H1N1 flu can pose serious problems, anyone with flu should follow the recommendations of the Student Health Service. Stay away from class until you are better, and bring a doctor's note if your absence is extensive.

Assignments: there will be a midterm quiz and a final paper. In addition, each student will sign up for a turn to be part of a “language in the news” team to give a brief (ten minute) presentation on a topic of current interest.

Grading: midterm quiz, 35%; language in the news, 15%; final paper, 40%; class participation in discussions, 10%.

Text: Curzan, Anne, and Michael Adams. 2006. How English Works: A Linguistic Introduction. New York: Pearson. (C&A in the syllabus)

The course syllabus, all handouts,supplementary readings, and study guides will be posted on the class website: http://www.illinois.edu/goto/debaron402

Syllabus

Week 1

Mon 8/24 What is grammar good for? Read the excerpt from The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

Wed 8/26 How a Supreme Court case illuminates the construction of meaning. Read The grammar of the second amendment.
What do you know about language? The NASA plaque. Assign: the language of Fug.

Week 2

Mon 8/31 The language of Fug. What have you been told about language? How do you know if it’s right? Read C&A ch. 1.

Wed 9/2 Language and authority: What is standard English, and who said so? C&A ch. 2.

Week 3

Mon 9/7 Labor Day -- no class today

Wed 9/9 English phonology. How the sounds of English combine to make words. The anatomy of speech; consonants and vowels. C&A ch. 3

Week 4

Mon 9/14 phonology, continued: phonemes and allophones.

Wed 9/16 phonology, concluded: phonological rules. That nagging question about spelling.

Week 5

Mon 9/21 English morphology. Forming words from meaning-bearing parts. C&A ch. 4. Language in the news: Krystal Young, Sarah Hively

Wed 9/23 morphology, continued. Do "New Word Exercise" for today. Language in the news: Chelsea Fiddyment

Week 6

Mon 9/28 Yom Kippur -- no class today

Wed 9/30 English syntax: the grammar of words put together into utterances. The parts of speech (the Greeks called them "pieces of speech"). When is a noun more than the name of a person, place or thing? C&A ch. 5 Language in the news: Monica Fumarolo, Lauren Burke

Week 7

Mon 10/5 Syntax part II, Phrases, clauses and sentences, or, if this is Monday, it must be Transformational Grammar C&A ch. 6. Language in the news: Alexi Vahlkamp

Wed 10/7 Syntax, concluded: some transformations. Syntax powerpoint pdf. Language in the news: Brittany Steadman, Christine Woods

Week 8

Mon 10/12 midterm review.

Wed 10/14 Midterm in-class exercise today.

Week 9

Mon 10/19 The term paper explained and exposed (due date: 12/2; submit via email attachment if possible). Semantics. What does it all mean? Semantics pdf. C&A ch. 7. Language in the news: Ryan Reyes, Michael Folsom

Wed 10/21 Semantics, concluded. How does meaning change? Language in the news: Rachel Warren, Jeff Wagner

Week 10

Mon 10/26 Spoken Discourse. C&A ch. 8 We have to talk . . . Speech analysis powerpoint. Language in the news: Jessica Lee, Katie Wanner

Wed 10/28 Slang: or why is it that, when you hear middle schoolers talk, you feel really, really old? Read the UCLA Slang Dictionary Language in the news: Sam Stachowiak, Erica Anderson

Week 11

Mon 11/2 Stylistics. Word choice in literature and in life. Stylistics powerpoint. C&A ch. 9 FOR Wednesday: do a stylistic analysis of a short prose passage (literary or not) or poetry selection. Language in the news: Kristin Lavelle, Meg Riley

Wed 11/4 Stylistics, continued. Analyze this . . . . Language in the news: Caleb Curtiss, Adam Mann, Colleen Mostyn

Week 12

Mon 11/9 Language acquistion. What babies know, but you forgot. C&A ch. 10 Language in the news: Stephanie Gallo, Kelsey Mapes

Wed 11/11 Language variation. The more things change, the more they're different. C&A ch. 11. Language in the news: Matt Garza, Jason Muhr

Week 13

Mon 11/16 American Dialects. Did you ever notice that people in _____ speak differently from us? Watch dialect video clips here. C&A ch. 12

Instructions on how to access the Atlas of North American English through the library web site. Language in the news: Yolanda Green, Arnetta Randall

Wed 11/18 Official English and the controversy over the Spanish translation of the "Star-Spangled Banner": There oughta be a law. The Spanish national anthem controversy, and what it tells us about language ownership in the US of A. Language in the news: Pierce Butler, Brad Hoelzer

Fall Break -- Have a great Thanksgiving

Week 14

Mon 11/30 English and the schools. Read: Baron, "The Myths of Teaching English." Language in the news: Danielle Dvorak, Garrett Taylor

Wed 12/2 Term paper due today (via email attachment, if possible). Language in the news: Elise Randick, Jordan Singleton

Week 15

Mon 12/7 English and the world: why did English become a world language, and what do you intend to do about it? C&A ch. 14

Wed 12/9 Last class: