This course has an assignment that is due by 11:55 pm Central Standard Time on Wednesday night of the first week of class.  Failure to complete this assignment will result in your removal from the course for non-participation. 

Anne Curzan and Michael Adams. How English Works: A Linguistic Introduction. 3^rd Edition. Pearson, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0-205-03228-0

This course introduces students to the field of linguistic study. Topics will include the history of the English language, English dialects, theories of grammar, language development, and how linguistics can help teachers in the classroom.

Students are encouraged to take EN211 Grammar for Educators before taking this course.

Prerequisites: EN120 (or EN110/111) and Sophomore standing.

Upon successful completion of the course, each participant should be able to:

• Define linguistics and understand human language as a conventional system that allow for creative communication of meaning.
• Differentiate between descriptive and prescriptive linguistic rules, explain the concept of Standard English, and discuss the values and limitations of usage/style guides.
• Identify the phonetic features of consonants and vowels and describe phonological rules like assimilation, insertion, deletion, and metathesis.
• Transcribe English using the International Phonetic Alphabet.
• Explain and illustrate the morphological features of English and processes relevant to word formation.
• Define semantics and outline different linguistic theories of language and meaning.
• Outline the general stages in and hypotheses regarding children’s acquisition of language.
• Distinguish between regional and social dialects and describe the phonological, morphological, and lexical features of prominent dialects in American English.
• Understand the general history of the English language, including the development of Old, Middle, Early Modern, and Modern Englishes.