ENG4156 – History of the English Language

Upon completion of this course, you will:

• have a fair knowledge of the main lines of development of written English from approximately 700 AD to modern times.
• know the most important changes in the fields of historical phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics.
• know the basic structure of Old English, Middle English and Early Modern English grammar; to this end, you will have studied the most central characteristics of the language of the syllabus texts.
• be able to describe and date linguistic changes.
• be able to place the language stages in their historical context.

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

This course is for students admitted to the master programmes European Languages (master's two years), Lektorprogrammet (master - 5 år), masterspesialisering i engelsk and Profesjonsrettet master med integrert praktisk-pedagogisk utdanning (masterspesialisering i engelsk).

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Seminar, two hours per week for 14 weeks, 28 hours in total.

Obligatory activities:

• Students are required to submit two shorter obligatory assignments within given deadlines. The assignments must be approved by the teacher for the student to be allowed to take the exam. Read more about guidelines for compulsory activities and about rules concerning valid excuses and how to apply for postponements.
• It is obligatory to show up for a minimum of 60% of the teaching. In this course you must attend a minimum of 8 out of 14 seminars. The requirement is absolute. Attendance at 14 out of 14 seminars is strongly encouraged. If you miss a class it is your responsibility to catch up the work you have missed.

The allowed absence limit will cover all absences, including illness. You will not be granted valid absences with documentation, even when the absence is due to something beyond your control.

In certain circumstances, i.e. serious or chronic illness, you could apply for special needs accomodations.

All obligatory activities must be approved in the same semester for you to sit the exam. Once the course requirements have been fulfilled, they remain valid for the current and the next two semesters that the course is taught.