Introduction to Modern English

Spring 2006                                                  8:00 to 9:50 T, Th AB Anderson

Introduction to Modern English is an upper division and graduate course that examines the basic structure of the English Language from a linguistic point of view.  It is primarily concerned with describing the structure of the English language, although it will also examine the nature of language as well.  

Instructor:     Michael D.  Linn

Office             435 Humanities

Office Hours            10:00 to 11:00 and 4:00 to 5:00 T, Th and by appointment

How to get in touch with me:  use email: mlinn@d.umn.edu, call me at home before 22:00 at 728-2245  or at the office, 726-8525.

Textxtbook:Paul W.  Justice.  Relevant Linguistics. 2nd edition.  Center for the Study of Language and Information.  Stanford, Cal.: 2004.

Evaluation:  Class attendance is expected, as is class participation which will account for ten percent of the grade.  There will be a number of problems assigned.  There will be two term examinations and a final examination.  The first examination will include phonology and morphology and the second examination will include syntax.  Each examination will count for twenty percent of the grade.  The final examination will be cumulative and will count for fifty percent of the grade.  Because linguistics is often a new subject students often have trouble with some part of it.  For this reason, there will be a voluntary make-up examination given in the last week of classes.  This make-up examination can be substituted for either of the term examinations.

First Weeks assignment:  Chapter 1:  What is Linguistics, pp.  1 to 13 and Appendix 1, pp. 271 to 274.

There will be weekly assignments given in class

January	18
	23
	25
	30
February	01
	06
	08
	13
	15
	20
	22
	27	Continue on Chapter 5 and turn in exercises 5.1, 5.2, 5.4 5.6 and 5.9
March	01	Continue on Chapter 5 and go over exercises 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.6 and 5.9
	06	Chapter 6 to page 166 (word classes) and exercise 6.1
	08	Chapter 6 top to page 174
	13	Spring Break
	15	Sprint Break
	20	Class view Video "American Tongues (Professor at Oxford
	22	Midterm Examination through morphophonemics. Syntax will not be on the the exam.
	27	Review previous the parts of Chapter 6 that we have covered.
	29	Chapter 6 page to l90 (Phrase Structure) and turn in exercise 6.1
April	03	Discuss problem 6.1 and discuss subcategorization (pp. 190-198)
	05	Go over exercises 6.4, 6.5, 6.8, , 6.10 (1 through 5) in class and turn in exercises 6.3, 6.4, 6.10, (6 through 10)
	10	Read transformations pp. 198 to 210 and go over exercises 6.3, 6.4, 6.10 (6through 10)
	12	Turn in and go over exercises 6.11 and 6.12
	17	Review the book through syntax
	19	Chapter 7
	24	Continue on Chapter 7
	26	African American English pp. 255-266
May	01	Continue on African American English and look at exercises 7.3, 7.4
	03	Last Day of Classes. Papers, etc. due, summarize, and prepare for final

Final Examination 8:00 to 9:55 Thursday May 10 MWAH Rm 195

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