Eng 315

Sprunger

FINAL PREVIEW (100 points)

Recent Historical

~ What were the goals of those who wanted “ascertainment” of the English language?

~ What are some of the social/historical trends that influenced the “ascertainment” movement?

~ What approaches to grammar are represented by Lowth and Priestly? In what ways are they alike? In what ways do they differ?

~ Could you revise some sentences to make them conform to Lowth’s prescriptive models?

~ What are some of the sources of vocabulary enrichment in the eighteenth century? What are some examples of the new words?

~ What is Samuel Johnson’s contribution to our study of language history? (Review the Johnson examples in CEEL.)

~ Review Noah Webster’s influence on American English

~ How might you contrast/compare Johnson’s and Webster’s approaches to dictionary making?

~ Using examples from the film Pioneers, O Pioneers, give some examples of unique American institutions that have influenced the development of American English idiom.

~ What is a pidgin or creole language? What information would you need to determine which was which?

~ If you encountered a text written in pidgin, could you read it? Could you translate it into modern English?

~ About what world English did you read for your group’s discussion of English as a world language? Could you compare/contrast that country/region’s experience with English against that of another country/region?

~ Why has English emerged as such a dominant world language?

Comprehensive Review

* ~ Could you identify a feature of modern American English that has its roots in each of the five development stages we studied this semester? (Five features total).

* ~ Given the patterns of language change English has experienced over the last 1500 years, what predictions can you make for the future? Think of several specific changes that might be the natural continuation of existing trends.

* ~ Could you analyze passages from several developmental periods of English, identifying characteristic features of each?

Sociolinguistic

~ Review the essays we’ve read and the topics we’ve discussed this semester. (You may use your Goshgarian text during the exam.)

TAKE-HOME COMPONENT

Before the exam, prepare the following document and hand it in with your test. It will be evaluated for specificity, engagement, and evidence of forethought.

After perusing Crystal's sections on the age of authority and the American period (pp. XXX), write four annotations about material you found interesting/memorable. You should have two entries from each period.

Each entry should provide this information:

1. Classification of the item as relevant to the Age of Authority or American language periods.

            2. Page number

            3. Brief summary of the item. Leave no doubt that you've read and understood it.

4. Reaction to material. Why have you chosen to discuss this piece? Does it provide material that's different than that covered in class? Does it clarify a class concept? Does it perhaps complicate or even contradict a class concept? There's no right, wrong, better, or worse answers here, so it’s especially important to show evidence of how you're connecting the reading to the class material.