Course Description
Course Name
The History of the English Language
Session: VSRS3122
Hours & Credits
20 SCQF Credits
Prerequisites & Language Level
Four English modules on academic transcript.
Taught In English
- There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.
Overview
This module will offer a detailed survey of the history and development of the English language from its
Germanic beginnings in the Anglo-Saxon period, to the present day. We will consider some of the ways in which
the structure, vocabulary and sound systems of the language have developed, explore the emergence of a
regular spelling system and a standardised form of written and spoken English, and investigate the spread and
development of English as the dominant world language in the current era.
Our exploration of the development of the language will introduce students to key theories of language change
and historical linguistic analysis, and take in a variety of literary and non-literary texts.
*Course content subject to change