English 370: English Linguistics

(Spring 2004)

John P. Broderick, Ph.D.

University Professor of English and Applied Linguistics

Old Dominion University

Mondays from 4:20 to 7:00 p.m. BAL 334

Office Hours: MWF 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: BAL 419.

Course Text

The textbook for this course is a course pack that I will have available for sale in class. Please come to the first class prepared to pay approximately $15.00 (either cash or a check payable to “Copy Connection”).

Quizzes on Assigned Readings

There will be eleven quizzes (at 10 points each) on the text, examples, and exercises in assigned readings. (These will count as 100 of 400 course points, thus giving you the opportunity to earn 10 extra points or to miss one quiz without a penalty). Quizzes will take place during the first 15 minutes of the class on the day they are scheduled. They must be taken in class, and can be taken only on the day and at the time scheduled. If you miss a quiz due to lateness or absence, it cannot be made up. Here is how to prepare for each quiz: (1) Read the assigned material very carefully, annotating it and taking notes – much of the material is technical and will be hard to understand when you read it, but reading and studying it when it is assigned will make it easier to learn from classroom presentations and classroom practice. (2) Pay careful attention to any examples (word lists or sentence lists) in the readings and prepare to give examples of concepts in your quiz answers. (3) Think through any exercise in the readings. Ordinarily, I will formulate quiz questions so that if you did the careful reading just suggested (even if you did not fully understand it) you should be able to answer the question, but if you did not do the reading, you will not be able to fake an answer from your general knowledge. Sometimes, I will tell you the previous week to focus on a certain exercise or exercises in previously assigned course readings or on answers to exercises that we have worked out in class, and that the next quiz will be based on those exercises or those specific sets of answers in addition to the assigned readings.

Course Objectives

(1) To learn to analyze English pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar using concepts and methods developed by linguists to study English sounds (phonology), English words (morphology), and English sentences (syntax).
(2) To learn to analyze special phonological, morphological, and syntactic features of English dialects and styles.
(3) To understand specialized features of different types of English dictionaries.

(4) To learn to apply linguistic concepts to analyzing the language of literature.

Summary of Course Points and Percentage Weights in Overall Course Grade:

Quizzes (11 @ 10 points) = 110 points counted as 100 (25%)

Phonology Test = 60 points (15%)

Morphology and Syntax Test = 100 points (25%)

Dictionary Exercise = 40 points (10%)

Final Exam = 100 points (25%)

TOTAL POINTS = 400 / 4 = 100% (See Course Policies for percentage equivalents of letter grades.)

Here is the general schedule for most class days:

4:20 p.m. to 4:35 p.m.: Quiz (except first class meeting and two exam days)

4:35 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.: Class presentation, part one

5:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Break

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Class presentation, part two

Here is the schedule for the two class days with in-class exams:

4:20 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Exam

5:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.: Break

5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Class presentation

Course Calendar

January 12

Course Introduction / Language Structure: An Overview

January 19

NO CLASS: HOLIDAY (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

January 26 [Read and Study pp. 1-25 for QUIZ # 1, regarding which, see bracketed comments following the next line.]

QUIZ # 1 / Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology / English Consonants and Vowels

[Regarding QUIZ # 1: In order to help you become adjusted to preparing for each quiz as you read and study and work with the assigned readings, I am going to give you three sample quiz questions for QUIZ #1 – based on this week’s readings – and I am going to promise that I will actually use one or more of them as the actual quiz question(s) for today’s quiz; so be prepared to answer all three, because you do not know which question(s) I will be choosing. Here are the three questions: (1) Even though the reading entitled, “The Structure of English (Linguistics)” closely paralleled my lecture of January 12, it used different examples in discussing phonology, morphology, and syntax (and it added a brief discussion of discourse structure). Cite or paraphrase one of those examples and describe something that the reading says about the example. (2) Describe the kinds of descriptive characteristics that articulatory phonetics provides for consonant sounds; cite specific sounds in specific English words as examples. (3) What is a “phoneme”? Cite and briefly discuss examples of at least one English phoneme and its allophones.]

February 2 [Re-read and re-study pp. 10-25 and read and study pp. 26-29f for QUIZ # 2.]

QUIZ # 2 / The Phoneme / English Phonemic Transcription Practice

February 9 [Re-read and re-study pp. 10-29f for QUIZ # 3.]

QUIZ # 3 / English Phonemic Transcription Practice / Discussion of PHONOLOGY TEST

February 16 [Study for PHONOLOGY TEST -- 60 points.]

PHONOLOGY TEST (4:20 – 5:30 p.m.) / Introduction to Morphology: The Morpheme (5:45 – 7:00 p.m.)

February 23 [Read and study pp. 30-53 for QUIZ # 4.]

QUIZ # 4 / Types of English Morphemes / Morphological Analysis

February 26 [Re-read and re-study pp. 30-53 for QUIZ # 5.]

QUIZ # 5 / Morphological Analysis / Syntax: Parts of Speech

March 5 [Read and study pp. 54-81 for QUIZ # 6.]

QUIZ # 6 / Constituent Structure / Grammar: Patterns and Choices / Grammatical Analysis

March 12

NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK

March 19 [Read and study pp. 78-99f for QUIZ # 7.]

QUIZ # 7 / Grammar: Patterns and Choices / Grammatical Analysis / Discussion of the MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX TEST

March 26 [Study for MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX TEST – 100 points.]

MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX TEST (4:20 – 5:30p.m.) / Dialects and Styles (5:45 – 7:00 p.m.)

April 2 [Read and study pp. 100-127 for QUIZ # 8.]

QUIZ # 8 / Dialects and Styles

April 9 [Read and study pp. 128-144 for QUIZ # 9.]

QUIZ # 9 / Dialects and Styles / Dictionaries

April 16 [Read and study pp. 144-148 for QUIZ # 10.]

QUIZ # 10 / Dictionaries / Discussion of the DICTIONARY EXERCISE

April 23 [DICTIONARY EXERCISE due – 40 points] [Read and study pp. 151-190 for QUIZ # 11.]

QUIZ # 11 / Linguistics and the Language of Literature / Foregrounding in the Poetry of e.e. cummings; Discussion of the Final Exam of the Sample Answers to Final Exam and of the Sample Essay on Styles Defined by Subject-matter.

May 3 [Study for FINAL EXAM – 100 points]

FINAL EXAM (3:34 –6:35 p.m.)

Course Policies

A university course is a very special learning experience. To justify the assembly of students and professor at a specified place and time week after week, something must happen there that cannot happen in any other way -- not by reading textbooks, not by reading the notes of others, not by conversing informally with the professor or with other students. What happens is that minds work together: the attention of many is focused on the words of one -- usually, but not always, the professor. It is not the same as viewing a lecture on television or even attending one in a large auditorium. I consider it my responsibility as a teacher to read your reactions to what I and others say. If I do not sense comprehension, I will restate, rephrase, re-exemplify. Your responsibility as students is to act on the information between the time it enters your eyes and ears and is stored in your mind. If something is not clear to you, please say so. Force me to make it clear. If enough of you do this, the time we spend together this term will indeed be special.

Throughout the semester, please keep this firmly in mind: Teaching is not just a job to me; it is a vocation (a calling). As a college professor, I am also required to do research and writing, and administrative and committee work, but nothing in my professional life is more important than helping you learn. If you have any problems of any kind related to this course, please talk to me. You may do so after class, you may come during my office hours, you may make an appointment, or you may call me either in my office or at home. I promise to do my very best to help you in every way that I can to get the most from this course.

Please also keep this in mind: If, during the term, you have to miss any classes, remember that you will learn less. A course grade is a measure of knowledge gained through full participation in the course experience, and you cannot earn a given grade unless you participate to the degree that grade demands. Even a doctor's appointment or personal crises that keep you from class will necessarily affect how much you learn. In such cases, I will do everything that I can to help you compensate for lost time, but you have to face reality. Just as you cannot physically be in two places at one time, neither can your mind. You have to be here to experience the stimulus and growth necessary to earn university credit. (Please don't make any decisions about dropping the course without first getting my advice.)

And finally, please keep this in mind: Only one person may speak at a time in this class. If you have something to say, please raise your hand, and I will give you the floor. If you need to consult with another student privately, please politely leave the room to do so. I find it impossible to stay focused on what I am teaching if other conversations are going on, even brief and quiet ones. I and your fellow students will greatly appreciate your cooperation on this matter!

In order to assure the intellectual integrity of the course and fairness to all, I will follow these policies:

A. Grading: The final letter grade will be assigned on the basis of a percentage of the total points available. (See the course outline for this total and for the breakdown.) 93-100=A, 90-92.99=A-, 87-89.99=B+,83-86.99=B, 80-82.99=B-, 77-79.99=C+, 73-76.99=C, 70-72.99=C-, 67-69.99=D+, 63-66.99=D, 60-62.99=D-, 0-59.99=F.

B. No extra credit.

C. You cannot be sure of credit for any test or assignment unless you take the test or hand in the assignment on time. However, you may arrange a make-up with me within one week of the due date. I will accept such make-ups, but I will not grade them, and I do not commit myself to grade them. I will file them and decide at the end of the semester, on the basis of other work you have done, whether to grade them or not and whether to count them as more than zero. If I do decide to grade them, I will do so without prejudice; i.e., you will not be penalized because of lateness. Late tests and assignments, even if I do eventually grade them, will never be returned. (Quizzes are an integral part of the class experience, and therefore cannot be made up, no matter what the reason for absence.)

D. You are required to know about all matters treated in every class, whether you are there or not. This includes the lecture, class discussion, handouts, announcements about changes in the course outline, and announcements about changes in test dates or test matter.

E. A reminder about the university policy on withdrawal from classes (please see p. 52 of the 2002-2004 Catalog for details): If you formally withdraw before the end of the 6th day of the semester, no record of the course will appear on your transcript. If you formally withdraw before the end of the eighth week of the semester (or similar fraction of a nonsemester course), the grade of W will be assigned. Withdrawal after that date is not normally permitted. However, you may withdraw after that date if you submit a formal petition (that I and the department chair must both approve and sign) in which you provide evidence of illness or other severe hardship. If you stop attending and do not submit and have the formal petition approved, then the grade of WF will be assigned, unless your performance up to the date you stopped attending was F, in which case F will be assigned. The grade of WF will carry no grade points but will be computed in the grade point average.

F. Please see pp. 14 and 15 of the 2002-2004 Catalog for a complete description of ODU’s Honor System. The following honor pledge applies to all work that you do in this course: "I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a member of the academic community, it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the Honor System. I will report to an Honor Council hearing if summoned." (It is your responsibility to know what plagiarism is and to avoid even the appearance of it.)