The English Language, Fall 2023 -- Prof. Furr

Homework Page

I will post all writing assignments on this page.. You should create a 'bookmark' of your own to this page, so you can go to it without having to first go to the Home Page for the course.

NOTE: BE SURE TO USE THE PROPER SUBJECT LINE ON ALL YOUR EMAILS TO ME! SEE BOTTOM OF HOME PAGE FOR EXAMPLE!

BE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO PRODUCE PLAIN TEXT ONLY!

Please note: You may NOT use a cell phone in this class. Only laptops or tablets.

Cell phones must be put on airplane mde and put away where neither you nor I can see them during class

Be sure to "send a copy to yourself" of ALL your homework assignments!

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

IMPORTANT

We cannot have good in-class discussions unless each student has 1. the TEXT we are discussing that day; and 2. a copy of his/her HW assignment, to refresh your memory about what you have written.

Therefore, be sure to bring with you to class, every day:

The TEXT WE ARE DISCUSSING THAT DAY and on which you have written your HW assignment;
A PRINTED COPY OF YOUR HW ASSIGNMENT for that day.

If you have either or both of these on a laptop or tablet and bring that to class, you do not need to print them.

Be sure these items are clearly visible on your desk as I take attendance each day. I will take note.

For Thursday, August 31
- Read pages 1 through 18 of McWhorter, The Story of Human Language. (on Canvas - Files). Then write brief answers to the questions on pages 8, 13, and 18. Write 350-400 words in all. Email to me in Plain Text Only, with proper subject line.
For Thursday, September 7 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 1.
For Monday, September 11 - On Drout, Lectures 1 and 2. (N.B.: Monday, September 7, is Labor Day - No Classes)
Also, please read the Wikipedia page "Genetic History of the British Isles." This page is as close as we can get to discussing how speakers of an Indo-European language reached Britain. It also summarizes what is known about the populations of Britain before recorded history. As you will see, there was a great deal of population change during these times. However, we know next to nothing about the languages spoken there until the arrival of Celtic speakers -- and we don't know precisely when they arrived. When recorded history begins for the British isles -- roughly 55 B.C., when Julius Caesar briefly invaded, only to retreat -- Britain was Celtic speaking.
For Thursday, September 14 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 2.
For Monday, September 18 - On Drout, Lectures 3 and 4.
For Thursday, September 21 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 3.
For Monday, September 25 - On Drout, Lectures 5, 8 and 9.

Please read this page: "Now that we have completed the first two weeks of the class..."

For Thursday, September 28 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 4, first part.
For Monday, October 2. - On Lerer, Chapters 1 and 2. NOTE: Read these chapters. Bring the Lerer chapters to class with you.
For Thursday, October 5 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 4, second part.
For Monday, October 9 - On Van Gelderen, Appendix II.
For Thursday, October 12 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 5, and Drout, Lecture 11.

And here is my article on the Icelandic volcano: "Eyjafjallajokull - It's English (Almost)!" Take a look!

For Monday,October 16 - On Lerer, Chapter 3.\

NOTE: To access the OED, or any database, from off campus, you can (1) follow these directions (from the Sprague Library Home Page); (2) phone or email Sprague Libraray for help.

For Thursday, October 19 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 6, first part. Also, download and take a look at this list of all the remaining strong verbs in English. (There are several other sites, with slightly different contents. Search Google for english strong verbs list ).
For Monday, October 23 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 6, second part.

For Thursday, October 26 and the week of Monday, October 30 (NOTE: I may change these readings for other readings.)

We'll devote Thursday, October 26, to Lerer, Chapters 4 and 5. Please read these chapters carefully. We will go over them in class, but there is no written assignment on them.
For Monday. October 30 - Please read Baugh and Cable, Chapter 2, "The Indo-European Family of Languages." Baugh and Cable has long been a standard text for English majors.
For Thursday, November 2 - Please read Textbook X, Chapter 8, on Middle English. I would like to know how you think it,compares with Van Gelderen's treatment of the same material in Chapter 6 of her book, which we have just studied. Please write 300 words comparing the two chapters.

For Monday, November 6 - On Lerer, Chapter 6.
For Thursday, November 9 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 7, first part.

For Monday, November 13 - On Lerer, Chapter 7 and Drout, Lecture 12.
For Thursday, November 16 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 7, second part.
For Monday, November 20 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 8, first part.

Thursday, November 23 - Thanksgiving Day - No Classes

For Monday,November 27 - On Van Gelderen, Chapter 8, second part.
- In addition, please read these texts in Jamaican Patois. They are very interesting!
  - The Lord's Prayer; A few verses from the Gospel According to Luke; "Bans a Killin" by the late Miss Lou, poet laureate of Jamaica.
For Thursday, November 30 - On Lerer, Chapters 8, 9, and 10.
For Monday, December 4 - On Drout, Lecture 13.
Also please download these files (and print them, if you don't have a computer). We will read over them in class. They are examples of Scots English and Jamaican Patois - "English from around the world". We have already discussed the Jamaican patois material, so we'll do the Scots English.

TUESDAY, MAY 2 (ALSO WEDNESDAY, MAY 3): READING DAY -- NO CLASSES

Thursday, December 7: Last "Regular" Day of Class. We will spend the class on "final things" -- the Final Exam, your paper, grades. Important stuff, so please attend!
Monday, December 11: Final Exam, during regular class hours.

http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/hel/helhwf23.html | Email Me | created 23 August 2023