ENG 295, 296 - The English Language

Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR (students beginning prior to Fall 2024): Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
Meets Explore Core requirement (students beginning Fall 2024 and later): HS
Meets requirement: W when offered as 296
The English language is often described as the de facto language of international business, trade, politics, and science, but how did this come to be? And what are the consequences of the English’s global dominance on the human experience? This course provides an introduction to English linguistics from a critical sociolinguistic perspective and using real-world language for analysis. Topics include foundational theories in formal linguistics and language study, the sociopolitical history of English, an examination of contemporary World Englishes, and the inequitable relations of power between speakers of different varieties of English that result in linguistic hierarchies. Throughout the course, we will pay particular attention to the intersections between language and identity, especially social class, gender, race, national origin, and native-speaker status. We will also examine linguistic ideologies related to language standardization, racialization, and mono- and bilingualism that marginalize communities of color and nonative speakers. Satisfies departmental Social Justice requirement.

This course meets the English language requirement for teacher certification in 7-12 English and 4-8 Language Arts.
Meets the English language requirement for teacher certification in English.