SoSe 21: V- History of English I
Ferdinand von Mengden
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This lecture will provide an overview of the history of the English language. We will start off in the pre-history of English, long before its earliest written attestations, and see what English was like before it became English and how we gain access to these pre-historic stages. The journey will then bring us to the early Middle Ages when, in the course of the Migration Period, Germanic tribes settled in Britain. We will observe the English language developing over time and explain the enormous changes that English has undergone ever since. We will see how the English language eventually spreads in almost all parts of the world, bringing forth new linguistic practices that are seen as different Englishes. As the historically most recent step, we will eventually watch English – in becoming the main language of international communication – conquering new media rather than new lands.
This lecture forms an essential part of the module History of English together with the parallel seminars (Proseminare). The more specialized discussions in these seminars are based on, and therefore require the background knowledge from this lecture.
The lecture will be presented as a podcast. It consists of 25 episodes which will be made available on Blackboard one by one as the lecture period progresses. Also on Blackboard, you will find a chat forum where you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topics of the individual episodes.
Further information about the lecture will be provided on Blackboard.
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Regular appointments