English Grammar Systems (ENG 312.01)                                             Dr. Andrew Smyth

Spring 2006                                                                                         Office: EN D272

MW 2-3:15 p.m.                                                                                  Phone: 203-392-6895

EN B210                                                                                             E-mail: smytha2@southernct.edu

 

Office Hours (subject to change):  M 5-6; T 2-3; W 12-1 and 5-6; R 2-3

 

Course Description

 

Study of three major English grammar systems (traditional, structural, and transformational), including some history of the language. Emphasis on modern linguistic principles and on social, regional, and functional varieties of English usage. Prerequisite: ENG 111/112.  3 credits.

 

This course will make you think differently about language and grammar.  We will study how language—particularly the English language—works; where it comes from; how it is evolving; why it differs from speaker to speaker and place to place; and, of essential importance to many if not all of you, how to teach it.  Note Well: Even if you are not planning to become a language arts teacher, you will have to engage in pedagogical readings, writings, discussions, and practice.  Everyone in this class will have a chance to teach an element of grammar and/or style.

 

You must keep up in this class.  You will see very quickly that we move at a steady pace, and if you don’t do the homework exercises, you will become lost in a hurry.

 

Objectives:  By the end of the semester, students in ENG 312 should be able to:

 

  • Describe and analyze the history of the English language, from the Anglo-Saxons to the present;
  • Understand and see the significance of the many varieties of English;
  • Realize that all dialects and varieties of English are fully developed, working language systems—not “substandard,” “lazy,” “derivative,” or “primitive”;
  • Recognize that Standard Written English is itself a dialect;
  • Learn how to use code-shifting to move between varieties of English;
  • Study, practice, and gain mastery of the morphology of English;
  • Define and distinguish between traditional, structural, and transformational grammar;
  • Use sentence diagrams (both Reed-Kellogg and tree) to explore how sentences work;
  • Practice sentence-combining and other strategies for developing sentences;
  • Study and put into practice in your own writing the rhetorical nature of grammar;
  • Learn how the linguistic knowledge of grammar can translate into classroom practice;
  • Master punctuation and other conventions of Standard Written English;
  • Enjoy the English language—it’s truly wonderful!

 

Required Materials

 

o       Haussamen, Brock, et al.  Grammar Alive!  A Guide for Teachers.  Urbana, IL:  NCTE, 2003.

o       Klammer, Thomas P., Muriel R. Schulz, and Angela Della Volpe.  Analyzing English Grammar.  4th Edition.  New York: Longman-Pearson, 2004.

o       A current (no later than 2002) grammar and style handbook.

o       A three-ringed binder for journals and exercises.

o       Online subscription to at least one of the following lists:  ATEG, word-of-the-day, and HEL (all free).

o       Multitudinous handouts from me.

 

Recommended Reading

 

Crystal, David.  The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language.  Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2001.

---.  The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language.  Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 1997.

English Journal 85.7 (1996), 92.3 (2003), and 94.5 (2005).   These three issues are devoted to teaching grammar and writing.

Haussamen, Brock.  Revising the Rules: Traditional Grammar and Modern Linguistics.  2nd ed.  Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 2000.

Hogg, Richard M.  The Cambridge History of the English Language.  6 Vols.  New York:  Cambridge UP, 1992-2001.

Kolln, Martha.  Rhetorical Grammar: Grammatical Choices, Rhetorical Effects.  4th ed.  New York: Longman, 2003.

Kolln, Martha, and Robert Funk.  Understanding English Grammar.  6th ed.  New York: Longman, 2003.

McKissack, Pat, and Rachel Isadora.  Flossie and the Fox.  New York: Dial, 1986.

Noguchi, Rei R.  Grammar and the Teaching of Writing: Limits and Possibilities.  Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1991.

Smagorinsky, Peter.  Standards into Practice.  Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1996.

Truss, Lynne.  Eats, Shoots & Leaves.  New York: Gotham Books, 2004.

Wheeler, Rebecca S.  Language Alive in the Classroom.  Westport, CT: Praeger, 1999. 

Weaver, Constance, ed.  Lessons to Share on Teaching Grammar in Context.  Portsmouth, Heinemann, 1998. 

---.  Teaching Grammar in Context.  Portsmouth, Heinemann, 1996. 

 

Recommended Websites

 

www.ateg.org  Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar—check out their links page for many more grammar sites

www.wordsmith.org     A.Word.A.Day

http://ebbs.english.vt.edu/hel/hel.html HEL Home Page--many resources from Anglo-Saxon to contemporary English available here, plus a sign-up for the HEL list

http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy/hell/ History of the English Language

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words/chron.html  Chronology of Events in the History of English.

http://english.cnu.edu/language/Default.htm  Exploring the Correctness Wars, by Rebecca Wheeler

www.ncte.org/library/files/Publications/Journals/ej/9045-may05/EJ9045Teaching.pdf Recent, invited article on code-switching by Rebecca Wheeler

www.ncte.org/library/files/Profdev/onsite/Consulting%20Network/LA0816Codeswitching.pdf Article on code-switching by Rebecca Wheeler and Rachel Swords

www.cal.org  Center for Applied Linguistics

www.lsadc.org  Linguistic Society of America

www.grammarlady.com Grammar Lady, by Mary Newton Bruder

http://grammarcheryl.blogspot.com/  Grammar Goddess Blog by Cheryl Norman

 

Grade Breakdown

 

Four Tests (including a Final Exam)                               56% (12-12-12-20)

Small Reports and Writings                                           10%

Research Paper                                                            20%

Exercise/Journal Notebook                                           07%

Team Mini-Lesson                                                        07%

 

 

Assignments

 

  • Four Tests:  You will be tested on historical knowledge of English, terminology, fundamental principles, and the ability to demonstrate your understanding of how language works.  The final exam will be cumulative.
  • Small Reports and Writings:  There will be a number of short papers, article reviews, and other written reports during the semester.  All should be typed and carefully edited.
  • Research Paper:  You will write an eight- to ten-page research paper on an approved topic dealing with language, grammar, or related issues.  All topics must be approved by me in writing by mid-semester.
  • Exercise/Journal Notebook:  Keep a notebook for exercises and journals, both in and out of class.  Bring it to class everyday; I will collect and check progress on a random basis.
  • Team Mini-Lesson:  Teams of three students will work together to develop and teach a ten-minute mini-lesson on grammar and/or language at the end of the semester.  There may be opportunities for earlier performances at various points during the term. 

 

 

Class Policies

 

  • You are allowed three free absences during the semester, no questions asked.  After three, each additional absence—for any reason—will result in a half-letter grade deduction from your final grade for the course.  Tardiness is disruptive to the class and results in missed assignments and other miscommunications; thus, if I notice it becoming a habit, I will count tardy entrances as absences.
  • Assignments are due in print at the beginning of class on the assigned due dates.  Late submissions will result in substantially lower grades for assignments.
  • Any evidence of plagiarism on any of your assignments will result in an automatic failure for the course, and your name will be submitted to the dean’s office for further disciplinary action.

 

 

Tentative Schedule (subject to almost certain adjustment, with due notice given to the class)

 

January

23:  Introduction.  What is grammar?  What do you know about grammar? 

            Homework for Wednesday: Read Grammar Alive! (hereafter GA) vii-9 and 71-74.  Write a two- to three-page narrative of your life’s experience with grammar, syntax, punctuation, mechanics, etc.

 

 

25:  What is language?  Nine qualities of language.  Pidgin English exercise.  Share grammar narratives.

            Homework over the weekend:  Read “Tense Present” (online via EBSCOhost library database) by David Foster Wallace and write a three-page review and reflection on it.  Be sure to write down some questions for class discussion, too.

 

30:  Discuss Wallace article.  Modern Dialects. Flossie and the Fox read-aloud.

            Homework:  Read Ch. 2 (pp. 19-36) of Analyzing English Grammar (hereafter AEG) and write a journal (one to two pages) in your notebooks in response to exercise 2.3.  Also, read GA 10-22 and Wheeler article on code-shifting: www.ncte.org/library/files/Profdev/onsite/Consulting%20Network/LA0816Codeswitching.pdf

February

1:    Dialects and Code-Shifting.

            Homework:  Read and study essay (www.wordorigins.org/histeng.htm) on history of English.  Then, write in your notebooks a description of the changing features of four versions of the “Our Father.”

 

6:  Anglo-Saxon and Medieval English; Introduction to Morphology.

            Homework:  Read AEG 37-50 and do exercises 3.1-3.6 (choose three words to do in exercise 3.2) in your notebooks

8:  Morphology.

            Homework:  Read AEG 50-59 and do exercises 3.7-3.9.

 

13:  Morphology

            Homework:  Prepare for Test #1.

15:  Test #1.

            Homework:  Read handout on word-creation and research selected words in OED.

 

20:  Presidents’ Day:  No Class.

22:   Word Creation; Research Paper assigned.

            Homework:  Read GA 80-94 first.  Then Read AEG 61-74 and do exercises 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6. Write down questions that you want to raise in class.

 

27:  Form-Class Words.

Homework:  Read AEG 74-82 and do exercises 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11 (choose four words).

March

1:  Form-Class Words, cont.

Homework:  Write tentative proposals for research papers, read AEG 82-89, and do exercises 4.13 and 4.14.

 

6:  Form-Class Words, conclusion.  Introduction to Structure-Class Words.

            Homework:  Read AEG 93-125 and do exercise 5.1-5.8.

8:  Structure-Class Words.

            Homework:  Read AEG 125-149 and do exercises 5.9-5.15.

 

13:  Structure-Class Words, cont.

            Homework:  Prepare for Test #2.

15:  Test #2

March 18-26:  Spring Break.  Homework:  Work on your research projects.

 

27:  Introduction to Phrases.

            Homework:  Read pp. 151-177 and do exercises 6.1, 6.2 (1-4), 6.3 (1-4), 6.4 (1-4), 6.5 (1-4), 6.6 (1-4), and 6.7. 

29:  Phrases.

            Homework:  Read pp. 178-93 and do exercises 6.8 and 6.9 (1-4).  Work on your annotated bibliographies.

 

April

3:  Annotated Bibliographies Due.  Phrases, cont.

Homework: Read pp. 195-214 and do exercises 7.1, 7.2 (1-4), 7.3 (1-2), 7.4 (1-2), 7.5, and 7.6. 

5:  Five Basic Sentence Types.

            Homework:  Read AEG 215-234 and do exercises 7.7 (1-4), 7.8 (1-3), 7.9 (1-4), 7.10, 7.11 (1-4), 7.12 (1-4), 7.14

 

10:  Five Basic Sentence Types, cont.

            Homework:  Read Grammar Alive 37-50 and 75-79.

12:  Five Basic Sentence Types, conclusion.

Homework:  Read AEG 235-278 and do as many examples from the exercises as are necessary.

 

17:  Basic Sentence Transformations.

            Homework:  Read AEG 315-363.

19:  Sentence Transformations, cont.  Mini-Lessons assigned.

            Homework:  Study for Test #3.

 

24:  Test #3.

26:  Research Paper Workshop.

 

May

1: Research Papers Due. Mini-Lessons.

3: Mini-Lessons.

 

8:  Mini-Lessons.

10: Mini-Lessons.

 

Finals Week: May 15-19.  Our Final TBA.