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

Postgraduate Course: History of Scots MSc (LASC11181)

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
SummaryThe course examines the emergence, structure and status of Scots from its earliest beginnings to c.1900.
Course description The course will study the emergence, structure and status of Scots from its earliest beginnings to c.1900. For each major stage in the language's development, the course will: (i) survey the socio-historical context; (ii) identify the major structural changes; (iii) consider theories of linguistic change. Students will additionally learn to read and analyse selected Older and early Modern Scots texts and to interpret Scottish place-names and other commonly-used Scottish terms. As the course progresses, there will be opportunity for some small-group discussions and interactive analyses of Older Scots texts.
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
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Identify linguistic features in Older Scots texts
  2. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the effects of socio-political history on the development of Scots
  3. Engage in advanced critical evaluation and discussion concerning the status of Older Scots
  4. Use Older Scots data as evidence in linguistic argumentation and analysis
  5. Interpret Scottish place-names and other commonly-used Scottish terms
Reading List
Görlach, M. 2002. A Textual History of Scots. Heidelberg: C. Winter.
Jones, C. (ed.) 1997. The Edinburgh History of the Scots Language. Edinburgh: EdinburghUniversity Press.
Macafee, C. & A.J. Aitken. 2002. A History of Scots to 1700. [Online at: www.dsl.ac.uk/about-scots/history-of-scots/]
McColl Millar, R. 2020. A Sociolinguistic History of Scotland. Edinburgh: EUP.
McColl Millar, R. 2023. A History of the Scots Language. Oxford: OUP.
Smith, J. 2012. Older Scots: A Linguistic Reader. Scottish Text Society: Edinburgh
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsScots,linguistics,history,language,medieval
Contacts
Course organiserDr Lisa Gotthard
Tel:
Email: l.gotthard@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Sasha Wood
Tel:
Email: swood310@ed.ac.uk
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