ENGL 5633: History of the English Language        Fall 2008                                 Mercer

 

Study Questions for Final Essay Exam

 

Some questions on the final essay exam may require longer answers (and be worth more points) than others.

 

If possible, please come to my office at 3:30 p.m. (or as early at 3:00 p.m., if you wish) on Wednesday, December 17, to begin your exam. 

 

Questions on Unit 4

 

  1. Identify the three cultural levels or functional varieties of the English language, and explain under what circumstances it is appropriate to use each.

 

  1. Explain the process by which African American Vernacular English evolved through the following stages:
    1. two different groups of languages
    2. a pidgin
    3. a creole
    4. a dialect of American English

 

  1. Explain how American English differs from British English in each of the following ways:
    1. vocabulary
    2. spelling
    3. pronunciation
    4. extent of dialectal variety

 

  1. Discuss the influence of Noah Webster on the development of American English.

 

  1. Identify the nine (9) primary dialects of American English, and explain where, under what circumstances, and by whom each of these dialects is used.

 

Comprehensive Questions

 

  1. Explain the major differences between Old English and Modern English
    1. in vocabulary
    2. in grammar (parts of speech)

                                                               i.      nouns and adjectives

                                                             ii.      pronouns

                                                            iii.      verbs

    1. in word order (syntax)

 

  1. Identify and briefly explain the most important changes in the English language that occurred during each of the following periods:
    1. The Middle English Period
    2. The Early Modern English Period (Renaissance)
    3. The Restoration and Eighteenth Century
    4. The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries