Subject description

(correspondence department)

General characteristics	Profession code	Subject structure
ECTS: 2.5 Quantity of modules: 1 Total quantity of hours: 90 In-class work (lectures): 20 In-class work (seminars): 14 Students self-study work 56 In-class hours per week: 2 Self-study hours per week: 3.5	Philology: 0203 Profession: 6.020303 ”Translation” Educational and qualification level: B.A.	Curriculum name Fundamental and professionally-oriented subjects Day-department Compulsory / Optional Compulsory Year: ІІІ Semester: VI Final assessment examination

Explanatory Note

The History of the English language is a theoretical subject which is studied as one of the compulsory subjects at the department of translators.

The specific tasks of teaching the History of the English language are directed at the analysis of the inner regularities of the development of the language vocabulary, morphological structure and phonetic system. These must be closely connected with the enhancing of the general level of the education and quality of the students’ philological competence, the development of skills to work with the texts of different historical periods and linguistic sources on the subject.

The basis of the subject is formed by the latest achievements in the sphere of linguistic studies connected with the problems of historic approach in the language, the mechanism of the development of language systems, synchronic and diachronic analysis of linguistic phenomena, interrelation of subsystems, systemic approach to the description of the language, correlation of quantitative and qualitative changes, the role of extralinguistic factors at crucial stages of the language development etc.

The course of History of the English Language is aimed at teaching students to understand and explain different language phenomena as well as to realize knowledge of the English history and the development of the phonetic system, grammatical structure and lexicon from Old English to Modern times.

As a result, students will be able to understand the changes of the phonetic system, grammatical structure and lexicon during different periods of the English language.

During lectures students will obtain information in regard to the most difficult questions together with the most recent data.

Seminars are aimed at discussing and practical application of students’ theoretical knowledge, getting acquainted with scientific methods of research.

Several topics which are well presented in different books on lexicology and are not covered during lectures or seminars are suggested for students self-study work.

An examination card includes three questions: one of them is theoretical regarding the Old English period; the second is also theoretical but refers to Middle or New English period; and the third one is the phonological, grammatical and lexicological analysis of a sentence.

Requirements to Students Knowledge:

By the end of the third year the trainees will be able to:

• have the prescribed minimum of knowledge on the history of the English language within the parameters envisaged by fundamental and professional curriculum;

• state the place of the History of the English language within the system of other subjects;

• ground the necessity to learn languages in diachronic and synchronic aspects;

• state the accepted periodizations in the development of English;

• know the essence of phonological, grammatical and lexical processes which took place during every historical period and to understand their roles for the present state of the language;

• to state the place occupied by the English language within the system of parent languages, to know the specific features of English in comparison with other Germanic languages.