History of the English Language

history of englishProf Mira Kovatcheva
Mitko Sabev
Dr Bozhil Hristov

ETCS credits 6    BA Programme    Summer semester

Requirements: knowledge of General Linguistics, Historical Linguistics, Phonetics and Phonology, Morphology and Syntax

History of the English Language provides a comprehensive introduction to the diachronic study of English. The course begins with a brief account of the most important pre-historic processes (Proto-Indo-European and Proto-Germanic), and then follows the development of English through each of its major periods: Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English and Present-Day English. Home reading assignments provide a balanced focus on linguistic and cultural aspects of language history, combined with diverse texts from different periods. The course ends with a historical examination of the major synchronic irregularities of Present-Day English. Assessment is based on class attendance and participation, in-class quizzes and two tests.