Syllabus

CLASSICAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

ROOTS OF ENGLISH

Information & Class Meetings
( Print & Keep this Syllabus immediately )

                                          The Outline of Class material will follow Ayers’ Table of Contents.
                                                      The first 15 meetings deal with the Latin Roots (to p.155).
                                                      The remaining 13 with the Greek Roots.    (tentative "split")

______________________________________________________________________________

                        Study/Readings/Exercises/Assignments for each Lesson should be done
                        BEFORE each class meeting.
                          If E-Mail is unavailable to you in a particular instance, print out and
                          hand in a hard copy of the assignment.    (Late assignments, only partial credit)

                        There will be a several brief quizzes , and occasional computer/ library
                        tasks. The Mid-Term Exam is taken after we finish the Latin roots, the
                        Final on the appointed day. (No make-ups quizzes or exams given without a serious excuse).

"Relevant Words":
When you are asked (in the Syllabus) to "Find 4 relevant words
in the ROE [Roots of English] Program", this means words which
are NOT among the italicized words of the Lesson indicated.
you should locate the items in the ROE Program and transfer as much
information about each of the words as possible into your E-Mail message.
(normal 'copying' is not possible from the ROE Program)
If you wish to add more information to that you find in ROE,
or to contribute a relevant word which is NOT found in ROE, do so
(extra credit).
The italicized words in the Lesson's sentences (or any others already seen
in the Lesson) are not to be submitted.

You will frequently receive NOTES via E-MAIL. Please retain
this material, preferably by printing it, since it will provide material
for examination. The timely submission of the Homework.
(Exercises & "Due" Words) listed in the Syllabus is your responsibility.
Credit lost if not done.
_________________________________________________________________

"The 100 % Paperless Project"
Click here or See bottom of the page

================================================================================

ALL EXERCISES AND ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE via E Mail by the NEXT CLASS
(but better late than never!)

Classes
(28 Meetings)

Part One: Word Elements from Latin

JANUARY (NOTE: Read over before the class the Model Sentences and
Study All the Roots in Each Lesson)

11. Introduction Terminology, Language Families
Lesson I - Dictionary (BRING IT to the next class, & Study Lesson II)

13. Lesson II -                                   ***do Ex IV, p14. (E-Mail each Exercise to me. )
     Lesson III - ‘Find four relevant words’ in the ROE program
     (explained supra).

18. Lesson IV ***do Exer IV or V or VI
L. V ‘Find 4 relevant words’ in the ROE program.

20. Lesson V
      L. VI Combinations. (Numbers).

25. QUIZ ONE (Lessons 2-7).
      L. VII (Roots) Hybrids.                ***do Ex III, p.60

27. L. VIII   Suffixes.
      L. IX Word Analysis.

FEBRUARY

1. L. X Dissimulation. ***do 8 items from Ex IV, p74.

3. L. XI Semantic Change.

8. QUIZ TWO (Lessons (2 -10). L. XII *** do 6 of Ex IV p.82.
‘Find 4 words’ in the ROE program

10. L. XIII Functional Change    //    L. XIV Degeneration/Elevation

15. QUIZ THREE (Lessons (2) -14) L. XV
       L. XVI - Review. Weakening/Hyperbole.

17. L. XVII Change of Meaning.
      L. XVIII Euphemism, Taboo, Circumlocution.

22. L. XIX Folk Etymology (f/e). L. XX

24. L. XX Blends; L. XXI Doublets *** Ex IV p119
L. XXII Doublets.

Spring Recess Feb 28-Mar 5

MARCH

8. QUIZ FOUR (Lessons (2) -20 ‘Find 4 words..’.
L. XXIII Latinisms in Shakespeare

10. L. XXIV Metathesis

15. Mid-Term Exam: Lessons I-XXV

GREEK ROOTS

17. Lesson I - Words from Myth. (hint: use ROE for this)
Lesson II - Words from History, Philosophy.
Give 6 Examples (3 for each Lesson) that are NOT in the Book.

22. Gk QUIZ ONE (Lessons 1-2). Introduction
Lesson III - Greek Roots. ***do Ex I p.159-160

March 24-8 Easter Recess

30. Lesson IV - Combinations. Pref. ***do Ex II, 185
Lesson V - Homonyms ***do Ex p191

APRIL

7. Lesson VI - Reduplication/Onomatopoeia. Prefixes.
Lesson VII - Loan Words - ‘Find Four Words...’

12. QUIZ TWO (Lesson 3-6) Lesson VII
Lesson VIII - Word Analysis / Syllable division (See L. IX, Part One)

14. Lesson IX Place Names.

19. QUIZ THREE (Lesson7-9). Lesson X - Expressions.
Lesson XI Religion Words: Christian sources. ***do Ex IV p220

21. Lesson XII-XIII Religion Words: Non-Christian sources;Sea Terms
Lessons XIV - Words from Sports, Games.
Paperless Project due April 21 (E Mail by class time)

26. QUIZ FOUR (Lesson 10-14)
Lessons XV-XVI Military Terms. The Arts. (‘Find Four...’)

28. Lesson XVII - The Law.                                      (‘Four Words...’ due)
      Lesson XVIII - Literary Terms.
      QUIZ FIVE (Lesson 15-19).
      Lessons XIX-XXII - Terms from Occupations. Scientific Terms

FINAL EXAMS April 29 -May 5

"The 100 % Paperless Project"

Your work for this project will begin at any WWW site, a Search site being
a logical choice. Due April 21

A. Your assignment is to discover on the WWW 9 (nine) sites having to do
with (NOT in!) the English Language, especially, but not exclusively, those
relevant to Etymology.

1. You are to keep a "log" noting each site you visit.

2. For each of the sites you visit, you must have the following
information in your log:

The site's complete URL (http:// ____________ )

A brief (1 paragraph) description of the site.

B. You must visit at least nine (9) relevant sites.. (Send me these ASAP).
Of your 9 sites, you will choose three (3) sites which you think would be
particularly useful for a student of the English Language & Vocabulary.
For each of these 3 sites, you will have the following information
in your log (instead of the briefer, "normal" log entry just described above)
THIS IS THE MAIN PART OF THE PROJECT:

[NOTE: READ the information about evaluating Web Sources before you do it]
at Evaluating Web Sources & Critiques of Net Information
& Critically Evaluating Web Sites

INCLUDE:
1. The site's complete URL

2. What type of specific information about Etymology or English does
this site contain?
Does it have texts (of what?), pictures, links (to what sorts of sites?), etc.?

3. How would you evaluate this site? (Don’t say "very carefully"!)
What makes it a valuable tool for the study of the English Language?

4. What would make it better? Who published the site.
What is it designed for? How often is it updated, etc.?

C. You will transmit the results (from your Log) to me electronically before
the due date (April 21). Please honor the "100% Paperless" idea!!
E-Mail or directly ask me any questions! cottereu@shu.edu

____________________________________________________________________

Bibliography (See Ayers' for more)

WORLD WIDE WEB, passim.
Ayto, J. Dictionary of Word Origins, Arcade, NY 1990.
Dunsmore, C., Studies in Etymology, Focus, Newberryport MA
Hendrickson, R. Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins,
     Facts on File, NY 1987.
Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the ultimate authority
Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, T. Hoad (ed), OUP
Partridge, Eric, ORIGINS: A Short Etymological Dictionary
     of Modern English, NY 1983.
Pei, M. The Story of Language, Meridian 1984, New American Library
Skeat, W. Concise Etymological Dictionary. Putnam 1980
Weekly, E. An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, 2 vols., paper, Dover 1967.