LITR302

(Formerly LITR 314) This course is designed to introduce you to the study of grammar and to provide you with an overview and detailed analysis of the structure of the English language. It is also designed to introduce you to concepts of language change, regional and social dialects--both standard and nonstandard, and the makeup of Standard American English. We will distinguish between descriptive and prescriptive grammars and examine their implications for the teaching of grammar and usage. Throughout this course, we will use the tools of linguists to critically approach and analyze the structure of Standard American English. Topics covered will include a brief examination of varieties of English; constituent structure and syntax; the morphology of English, both derivational and inflectional; the major parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and qualifiers, prepositions, pronouns, conjunctions, etc.) We will also study ways that clauses can be combined into sentences using coordination and subordination.