University of Rome III__School of Arts and Letters
Linguistica Inglese / The Linguistics of English
     Program for the academic year 2000-2001
Patrick Boylan, Department of Linguistics
 
 

"Englishes of the world:
Do similar formal attributes mean similar cultural mind sets?"

Knowing English today means, among other things, being able to use the language "for intercultural communication at the micro or local level in which individuals from different [and not necessarily British or American] backgrounds interact", as well as being able to "appreciate English as a World Language at the macro-level of cultural politics" (White 1998).   In pursuing this two-part inquiry, students will be encouraged to question the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis linking cultural mind sets to formal linguistic attributes.  They will also be given the chance to acquire ethnographic tools so that, in their future jobs or travels, they can more easily learn the English of the English-speaking communities with which they may come into contact.  Finally the course will address the question of norms for English in a world where, increasingly, "...the Empire writes back to the Centre..." (Salman Rushdie).

Teaching goals and methods:

Through readings, class discussion, and empirical (field) research, students will learn to define norms for the Englishes they encounter and to map the mind set of their native or non-native English-speaking interlocutors.

Attendance, Self-Study, Marks:

Students who attend 3/4 of the lessons will be dispensed from reading three of the five works making up the course syllabus.  In addition, these students may elect to do study tasks during the semester.  The tasks involve reading two works from the syllabus and,  through empirical research, verifying some of the authors' assertions.  Students completing a sufficient number of tasks well will not have to take the final exam. Non attenders must work out a self-study program with the teacher by December 21, 2000. For office hours and phone/fax/email, see http://host.uniroma3.it/docenti/boylan

Bibliography (Do NOT purchase these books yet!):

D. Crystal.1997. English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

D. Freeborn. 1993. Varieties of English. An Introduction to the Study of Language.  London: The Macmillan Press.

R. Quirk &  H. G. Widdowson, eds. 1985. English in the World: Teaching and learning the language and literatures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

V. Vogel Zanger. 1985. Face to Face in English.  A Cross-Cultural Workbook. Rowley (Mass.): Newbury House Publishers.

R. White. 1998. "Going round in circles: English as an International Language and Cross-Cultural Capability". In: D. Killick & M. Parry (eds.). Languages for Cross-Cultural Capability. Leeds: University of Leeds Press. Available on the Internet at: http://host.uniroma3.it/docenti/boylan/text/white01.htm<-- click to read