SEL2212 : Early English: Texts, Patterns and Varieties
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Professor Karen Corrigan
- Lecturer: Dr William van der Wurff
- Owning School: English Lit, Language & Linguistics
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
- To develop students' competence in reading texts from a variety of periods in the history of English;
- To develop students’ ability to analyse linguistic features of texts;
- To build on the knowledge and skills relating to language change gained in SEL1032 (Language Variation and Change);
- To enhance students’ knowledge of the processes by which the English language has evolved into its present-day state;
- To develop competence in using dictionaries, historical corpora and other electronic resources.
Outline Of Syllabus
Lecture material provides a chronological survey of English, examining the major features of Old English, Middle English, and Early and Late Modern English. It also explores special topics related to the socio-historical and linguistic context in the areas of standard languages, variation and language contact, with examples potentially drawn from Scots, Irish and American varieties, as well as English varieties. Small group classes focus on the detailed examination of the language in action, with an emphasis on the reading and analysis of texts which range across the centuries and across genres, including literary texts and personal letters.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | Introducing key linguistic features of different periods, and details of socio-historical context |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 47:00 | 47:00 | Preparation and completion of mid-module and end-of-semester assignments |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 33:00 | 33:00 | Independent study using reading lists and other online resources identified in module materials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Small-group discussion focusing on sample texts from each period of the language |
| Guided Independent Study | Skills practice | 1 | 33:00 | 33:00 | Independent study focusing on the analysis of historical texts |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 9:00 | 9:00 | In-person, staff-led trip to Jarrow and Holy Island. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 46:00 | 46:00 | General reading and revision |
| Total | 200:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEL8361 | The Social History of English |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lecture materials will provide information about the features of the English language in its various periods, outline historical contexts, demonstrate and discuss methods and resources for text analysis, and provide overall coherence for the module.
Small Group Teaching will involve detailed textual analysis work of various types, focusing mainly on sample texts from each of the key periods in the history of the English language. These sessions also aim to enhance understanding of approaches to historical texts from a linguistic perspective.
The guided independent study will involve: (a) following up on reading and other resources identified in the lecture materials; (b) practising and developing the skills in linguistic analysis that will be the basis for the small group sessions; and (c) other general reading and revision that will aid in preparation for the mid-module and end-of-semester assignments.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | M | 40 | 1500 words |
| Written exercise | 2 | A | 60 | Section 1: text analysis. Section 2: essay (c.2500 words total) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
(1) The mid-module essay (40%) allows students to explore and demonstrate their knowledge of concepts and/or theories related to the socio-historical evolution and linguistic features of English in its earlier periods (Old and Middle English), deriving mainly from the material and reading suggestions presented through lectures.
(2) The end-of-semester written exercise (60%) focuses on: (a) the close analysis of linguistic features of sample texts, informed by background knowledge and the skills gained from similar textual analysis in the small-group teaching sessions; and (b) a chance to synthesise data and ideas in a short discursive essay focusing on linguistic and socio-historical issues related to the later periods of English (Early Modern and Late Modern).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SEL2212's Timetable