ENG 235: MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX OF ENGLISH

Last Update: November 13, 2009

ENG 235: MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX OF ENGLISH
Linguistics Section, Department of English Studies, University of Cyprus
Fall Semester 2009: Tuesdays & Fridays, 12.00 - 13.30 *** Room E 004

http://www.punksinscience.org/kleanthes/courses/UCY09F/MASOE/index.htm
Kleanthes Grohmann *** Email: kleanthi AT ucy DOT ac DOT cy
Room M 104, Phone: x2106 *** Office Hours: TUE 15.00–17.00 & WED 13.00–15.00 + by appointment

DESCRIPTION

This MASOE course examines the internal structure of words and the rules by which word formation takes place and provides an introductory study of English grammar from a formal perspective. It examines the relationship between syntax and morphology by considering the effects that some morphological processes have on syntax. It also considers the phrase structure properties of English in terms of X-bar theory, explores the different properties of main and embedded clauses, and discusses movement operations, such as yes/no- and wh-questions, passives, and raising constructions, in theoretical terms.

ASSESSMENT

Regular attendance is strongly advised! Besides class lectures, there will be:

1. 60%: two sets of homework exercises assigned in class [the first set is due in class on October 9, the second (Haegeman chap. 3: exx. 8, 9/10/11, 13/14, 18 = 4 exx.) on November 20]
2. 40%: one final exam based on the entire semester [the final exam date has been set for the morning of December 19]
3. ±x%: presence and preferably participation in class [not showing up results in a minus, frequent contributions to a plus]

The exams will be held in class and cover all material up to that point. Time will be set aside in the syntax component of MASOE to tackle longer exercises from the textbook.

READING

If you’re taking your status, and unique opportunity, of a university student seriously, read! I put books for short-term loan at the library and additional material on the website. The morphology part will follow a short handout text plus individual class handouts.

Classes will be crucial and equally crucial will be that you understand everything we do. I will not always cover all the material; we will find our pace in a few classes. The exercises provided in the texts or class are also relevant. Feel free to give them a shot even if not assigned and discuss your solutions with me, or raise questions in class.

NB: Make sure you make good use of my office hours: If you don’t come, I can’t help you!

There is one required textbook of which every student should have his/her own copy!

Haegeman, Liliane. 2006. Thinking Syntactically. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There is a short supplementary text, the "short handout text" referred to above for the morphology component (handed out in the first class; downloadable from this website):

Andrew McIntyre. 2000. 'English Morphology'. Manuscript, University of Leipzig.

Other texts of interest for morphology are these book chapters:

'Compunding' (by Nigel Fabb)
'Derivation' (by Robert Beard)
'Inflection' (by Gregory T. Stump)
'Morphology' (by Andrew Spencer)

In addition, there's a whole 120-page part on morphology from the Handbook of English Linguistics that can be downloaded here.

You may also find it interesting to browse through this encyclopedia in the library (or any number of other linguistics encyclopediae):

Keith Brown and Anne Anderson (eds.). 2006. Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Amsterdam: Elsevier. [second edition, P29.E5 2006 - v.1-14]

Additional materilas (such as websites):

coronal consonants (Wikipedia)
fricative consonants (Wikipedia)
list of English affixes (TruAlfa/IndoDic)

Consider also my repeated note on plagiarism:

Plagiarism is a serious offence! (See the factsheet handed out in the first class for a summary of what plagiarism is, and why it is so bad.) If I detect cheating or plagiarism in any way, I will report you to the Board of the Department of English Studies — as a consequence, you automatically fail this course and face more severe punishment which can even lead to expulsion from university. So, be honest and work honest. [DOWNLOAD HERE]

Here you can also download the current syllabus [updated: OCT 30]: SCHEDULE