University of Essex

LG653-7-SP-CO:
Varieties of English

The details

Year: 2024/25

Department: Language and Linguistics

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Spring

Level: Postgraduate: Level 7

Status: Current

Start date: Monday 13 January 2025

End date: Friday 21 March 2025

Credits: 15

Last updated: 11 April 2022

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

MRESQ14512 Analysing Language Use,
MA Q16012 English Language and Linguistics

Module description

The module looks at a wide range of variation in the English Language as it is spoken in the UK, North America and the Southern Hemisphere, and discusses associated historical and sociolinguistic issues. The focus is on phonological variation, although salient syntactic, morphological and lexical features are also covered, illustrating with recordings wherever possible

Module aims

• To familiarise students with the concept of diachronic variation in the English language in its historical and sociolinguistic context
• To familiarise students with varieties of English spoken in different parts of the world
• To introduce students to phonological, syntactic, morphological and lexical features of these varieties
• To compare and contrast the different varieties of English in focus and to shed light on their origins
• To provide practice in linguistic analysis, phonetic transcription and elementary auditory training

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able ...
• to identify most regional accents of English and to describe the differences between them.
• to make an intelligent and well-informed contribution to controversies concerning standard vs non-standard English (e.g. in education, broadcasting, etc.).
• to read research papers on variation in English and understand them within a broader perspective.
• to conduct original research of your own into variation in English.

Module information

N/A

Learning and teaching methods

N/A

Bibliography

van Rooy, B. (2024) World Englishes: The Local Lives of a Global Language. First edition. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1515/9781474486316.
Wells, J.C. (1982) Accents of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Wells, John C. and Cambridge Books Online (1982) Accents of English: Volume 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511611759.
Wells, J. C. and Cambridge Books Online (1982) Accents of English: beyond the British Isles, Volume 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511611766.
McIntyre, D. (2020) History of English. 2nd edn. Available at: https://www-taylorfrancis-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/books/9781003132196.
Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes (2016) American English: dialects and variation. Third edition. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=1084381.
Graddol, D. and Open University (2007) Changing English. 2nd ed. London: Routledge. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=6259545.
Schneider, E.W. (2020) English around the world: an introduction. Second edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/575764.
Peter Trudgill and Jean Hannah (2017) International English: a guide to varieties of English around the world. Sixth edition. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Available at: http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351756570.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Deadline	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Essay or Small Project	22/04/2025

Additional coursework information

N/A

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Prof Enam Al-Wer, email: enama@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Enam Al-Wer

Contact details: 4.202b, enama@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Dr Vivienne Esther Rogers

Name: Dr Sal Consoli

Institution:

Academic role:

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).

Further information

Department website: Language and Linguistics

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Module Directory

LG653-7-SP-CO:Varieties of English