Language change and varieties of English - MA Seminar 3 3301-JFS3WOJ02

The seminar will focus on language change, the evolution of English and its modern regional and social dialects. The issues discussed will include various types of changes (morphological, phonological, lexical and semantic) which led to the development of standard and non-standard varieties of English. The actual topics of the thesis may vary, from projects studying the changes which took place in the language to those examining various aspects of Present-Day English.
Topics:
- language contact and its results
- English lexicon: history, changes and present-day situation
- borrowings into and from English
- morphological changes and their results
- phonological changes and their results
- standard dialects (AmE, ScotEng, IrEng, etc)
- non-standard varieties of English
- linguistic theories- orthographic changes in English

Course coordinators

Anna Wojtyś

Type of course

Master's seminars

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

3 absences are allowed The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom is governed by the rules set forth in Resolution No. 16 of the Teaching Council for the programs English Studies, English Studies – Linguistics, and English Studies – Literature and Culture of 9 December 2025 (chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/drive.usercontent.google.com/download?id=1wKaGcMrfFe5GaziQgxXkHS1e6t9TvQcB&authuser=0&acrobatPromotionSource=gdrive_chrome-list).

Learning outcomes

Knowledge: Students will have in-depth familiarity with
K_W01 advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the discipline of linguistics, in accordance with their chosen specialization (and educational path), especially within the domain of language change and language varieties
K_W02 advanced principles of linguistic research design, in particular the principles of method and tool selection in formulating research problems and testing hypotheses, especially those pertaining to language change and language varieties
K_W04 concepts and principles concerning the protection of intellectual property and copyright

Abilities: students will be able to:
K_U01 apply the advanced terminology, theories and methods of linguistic research to solve complex and original research problems in accordance with his/her chosen specialization (and educational path), especially within the domain of language change and language varieties
K_U02 apply advanced principles of linguistic research design, and in particular is able to:
- select appropriate sources, methods and tools
- critically analyze and synthesize the current state of research in the discipline
- interpret and present the results obtained using advanced information and communication techniques
K_U03 use structures, lexis and language conventions appropriate to the communicative situation (e.g. preparation of MA thesis, discussion about one's reearch) in spoken and written English at the minimum level C2 accordingto the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
K_U04 apply the concepts and principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law, especially during the preparation of MA thesis
K-U07 use modern technology to acquire knowledge (e.g. the use of linguistic corpora or research sources) and communicate through a variety of communication channels and techniques
K_U08 plan and organize individual and team work in order to achieve desired objectives effectively, especially the completion of MA thesis

Social competences: students will be ready to:
K_K01 critically appraise their knowledge and content obtained from various sources
K_K02 recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems; consult experts when required

Assessment criteria

Submitting two chapters of MA thesis. A presentation of collected data during classes.

Bibliography

Campbell, Lyle. 1999. Historical Linguistics: An Introduction. Edinburgh: EUP.
Durkin, P. 2009. The Oxford Guide to Etymology. Oxford: OUP.
Hock, H.H. – B.D Joseph. 1996. Language History, Language Change and Language Relationsip. Berlin / New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Hughes, A. – P. Trudgill – D. Watt. 2005. English Accents and Dialects. New York: Hodder Arnold.
Hughes, G. 2000. History of English Words. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Kortmann, B. – C. Upton (eds.). 2008. Varieties of English (Vol. 1-4). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Labov, W. (1991) Sociolinguistic Patterns. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Machan, T.W. – Ch. Scott. 1992. English in Its Social Contexts. New York: OUP.
McMahon, A. 1994. Understanding Language Change. Cambridge: CUP.
Minkova, D.– R. Stockwell. 2001. English Words. History and Structure. Cambridge: CUP.
Schneider, Edgar W. 2010. English Around the World. An Introduction. Cambridge: CUP.