In this course we shall study all aspects of the history of the English language from its earliest known Indo-European ancestry, through its most profound developments in the Old English, Middle English, and Early Modern English periods, to its paradoxical status and varieties at the end of the 20th century. There will be a mid-term and a final examination, two papers, several other brief written assignments, and frequent quizzes. In recent years I have been using the 4th edition of Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A History of the Englis h Language, as the primary textbook in this course, but I expect to switch to another textbook for Fall 2000. I am currently (early May 2000) checking on its price and availability.
This course is cross-listed with German 405/505.
I belong to the newly-formed Caucus on Grading at the UA, some of whose members have elected to make public their grading histories. My undergraduate grades in all courses for the past five years (through May 2000) have been 41 As, 153 Bs, 164 Cs, 27 Ds, 38 Es, 42 Ws, 6 WPs, 1 Pass, and 1 Fail. My graduate grades in that period have been 44 As, 21 Bs, 2 Cs, no Ds, 4 Es, 4 Ws, and 4 Audits.
Carl T. Berkhout
Department of English
University of Arizona