Textbook:
Leech and Svartvik: English—One Tongue,
Many Voices
(Available at Revolution
Books)
Student
Learning Objectives: Upon completion of
the course, students should be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of a)
the historical basis for the diversity of modern Englishes, b) the ongoing
efforts to promote a single standardized variety of the language, and c) the
effects of this continuing dichotomy on US society as a whole and on the
education process in Hawai‘i in particular.
Course
Overview
This section of English 302 offers an
overview of the historical development and diversification of modern Englishes
and how these varieties have been used in both speech and writing. We will
discuss notions such as register, dialect, pidgin. and creole, and we will
examine the varying degrees of social and political power (and powerlessness)
that the use of these different varieties of English continues to encode. We
will also explore language use in terms of gender, ethnicity, and class, and
special emphasis will be given to the discussion of certain problematic issues
such as grammatical correctness, native speaker competence, and the
relationship between English and nation building in the US in general and in
Hawai‘i in particular.
Assessment
Course requirements are as follows:
posting on Laulima of a linguistic autobiography and SIX further responses to
the weekly readings, as well as two short midterms and a final research project
(which will also be presented to the class).
1)
Laulima postings (30%)
2)
Two Midterms (30%)
3)
Project (30%)
4)
Attendance (10%)