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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Language Sciences

Postgraduate Course: Dialects of English in Britain and Ireland (LASC11117)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course provides a detailed account of dialects of English in Britain and Ireland.
Course description This course provides a detailed account of dialects of English in Britain and Ireland. It examines how these varieties differ in terms of their phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and lexis. You will have the opportunity to look in detail at specific dialects, specifically at their linguistic features, historical origins, relations to other dialects, and the current forces which are shaping their development, from dialectological, sociolinguistic, perceptual and theoretical linguistic perspectives. Dialect and language contact, dialect levelling and new dialect formation are also explored.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 22, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 174 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Assignment 1: 40%
Assignment 2: 60%
Feedback Pre- and post-assignment briefing meetings, detailed comments on assignments
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. demonstrate a thorough understanding of the shape of dialects of English in Britain and Ireland
  2. explain in detail the historical, geographical and social forces that have shaped the development of those dialects
  3. describe the central linguistic features of particular dialects
  4. evaluate dialectological, sociolinguistic, perceptual and theoretical linguistic perspectives on contemporary dialects
Reading List
Beal, J. 2010. An Introduction to Regional Englishes. Edinburgh: EUP.

Beal, J., L. Burbano-Elizondo and C. Llamas. 2012. Urban North-Eastern English. Edinburgh: EUP.

Britain, D. (ed.) 2007. Language in the British Isles. Cambridge: C.U.P.

Chambers, J.K. and P. Trudgill. 1998. Dialectology. 2nd edition. Cambridge: C.U.P.

Corrigan, K.P. 2010. Irish English, Volume 1: Northern Ireland. Edinburgh: EUP.

Foulkes, P. and G. Docherty (eds.) 1999. Urban Voices. London: Arnold.

Hughes, A., P. Trudgill and D. Watt. 2005. English Accents and Dialects. 4th edition. London: Arnold.

Kortmann, B. and E. Schneider in collab. with K. Burridge/R. Mesthrie/C. Upton (eds.) 2004. A Handbook of Varieties of English. Vol. 1: Phonology; Vol. 2: Morphology and Syntax. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

Millar, R. 2007. Northern and Insular Scots. Edinburgh: EUP.

Milroy, J. and L. Milroy. 1993. Real English: The Grammar of English Dialects in the British Isles. London: Longman.

Orton, H. et al., eds. 1962-71. Survey of English Dialects. Leeds: Arnold.
Trudgill, P. 1984. Language in the British Isles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Trudgill, P. 1999. The Dialects of England. Oxford: Blackwell.

Wakelin, M.F. 1972. English Dialects: An Introduction. London: Athlone.
Wells, J.C. 1982. Accents of English. 3 volumes. Cambridge: C.U.P.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Students will understand how and why varieties of English in Britain and Ireland vary as they do. This is fundamental for anyone working in these islands, within education, the media etc. The students will also be given the opportunity to hone their writing and argument skills.
Keywordsdialects,english,britain,ireland,theoretical linguistics,dialect
Contacts
Course organiserDr Warren Maguire
Tel:
Email: W.Maguire@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Toni Noble
Tel: (0131 6)51 3188
Email: Toni.noble@ed.ac.uk
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