English across time

English has been described as one of the most changing and hybrid languages of all times, and in this unit you will delve into the history of the language from the earliest written records to the present day. You begin by scrutinising attitudes towards language change, as well as the motivations and mechanisms that drive the changes, including social, cultural and political factors. All aspects of the linguistic system evolve, and you will analyse changes to English sounds (phonology), vocabulary (lexicon), meanings of words (semantics), structure of words (morphology), sentence structure (syntax) and spelling (orthography). Through examination of both literary and non-literary texts, you will traverse the eras of Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English, illuminating key linguistic shifts across these periods. Under the spotlight will also be the history and development of Standard English and the controversies surrounding its creation and its current status.