230560 Varieties of American English (S) (WiSe 2009/2010)

This seminar serves the purpose of exploring variation in the English spoken in North America. Consequently, the class will look at both historical and present-day varieties according to region, ethnicity, and education / social class.

In a first set of sessions the origins and development of the major regional forms of English – in the U.S.A., the South (coastal and highlands), the Mid-Atlantic states, New England, and the North; in Canada, the Maritimes, and Canada west of Quebec.

In a second set of sessions we will looks at studies on pidgin and creole forms of American English, at African-American Vernacular English, at Chicano and Spanish-influenced English, and at American Indian English.

A final series of sessions will be devoted to studies of social differences in the use of English, concentrating especially on differences between American Standard English and non-standard features of General English in America.

This exploration of variety in American English is based on a very extensive approach to the topic. Nevertheless, key sets of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and usage features will be selected which, it is hoped, will make both the motivation and the mechanisms of language change more understandable while also providing useful thumbnail sketches of the varieties selected.

In order to get full credit (3 points), the following is expected of participants:

1. Regular attendance.
2. An oral presentation to be expanded into (3):
3. A written treatment of one of the topics suggested.
4. Alternative to (3): a final exam.

A literature / reading list will be provided.