Englisches Seminar
Universität Münster

SPRACHWISSENSCHAFTLICHES PROSEMINAR:
THE LANGUAGE OF EARLY MODERN ENGLISH TEXTS

SS 03
Mo 11-13, Room 031
Oliver M. Traxel


This seminar is concerned with the state of the English language during the Renaissance period. We will look at various texts from the late fifteenth up to the end of the seventeenth century and examine how their language is different from other stages of English language history, namely Old, Middle and Modern English. Particular emphasis will be on orthographic, phonological, syntactic and lexical developments at this time of linguistic change. We will learn how to pronounce Shakespeare and the King James Bible “correctly” and why the English lexicon experienced such a rapid growth during this period. As this seminar is a logical follow-up to a Sprachhistorischer Grundkurs, prospective participants should have already taken part in such a course.

The set text is Görlach, M., Einführung ins Frühneuenglische, 2nd ed. (Heidelberg, 1994) [ISBN 3-8253-0208-3], and copies should be bought before the first session. It is also recommended that you have a look at Barber, C., Early Modern English, 2nd ed. (Edinburgh, 1997) [ISBN 0-7486-0835-4] before classes start. These publications are available at Poertgen-Herder in the Salzstr., or at amazon.de.

The main assessment factor for the successful passing of this seminar will be a piece of coursework, which has to be handed in by 10 October. Relevant texts and questions will be handed out in July. Regular participation in all sessions is strongly advised. It is essential that candidates will have visited the following links to get a further impression of the course and to broaden their understanding of the subject matter:

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