English Language & Linguistics

Level 1

English Language Level 1 is designed to give you a flavour of most aspects of our subject, with a special focus on the modern side.  You will learn about varieties of English (sociolinguistics and dialectology), language acquisition, and how language works in particular situations or text-types (pragmatics, stylistics).  You will develop an understanding of issues in the study of meaning (semantics).  You will gain skills in the technical ‘kit’ needed to engage with these subjects (grammar and lexicology, phonetics and phonology).  You will also study language change, with special reference to the 1500-year history of English, and will look at a range of texts from the Old, Middle and Modern English periods.