ENG302: Linguistic Approaches to Literature (section 1, class number 70851, 3 credit hours, meeting time MWF 11:15-12:05, classroom K310)

Description and Objectives: As a beautiful tapestry is shaped by the thread and the loom, so is a work of literature shaped by language. A big difference, however, is that with literary “tapestries,” readers must work be able to work with thread and loom as well. We know, of course, that we need to be English speakers to read a poem or a novel written in English, but it is also true that having a conscious understanding of linguistic patterns and details in a literary work can be a valuable resource for appreciating and analyzing that work. This course examines a variety of such linguistic details and patterns that can be and have been considered in literary analysis. The objectives of this course are for students to learn some of the vocabulary for talking about language in literature and also to develop some skill with using various types of linguistic knowledge to analyze literary works. In doing so, students will advance their ability to read and discuss linguistic texts as well, laying foundations for continuing exploration of linguistic approaches to literature. Students in this course will also enhance their understanding of why it is so difficult to characterize "literary language" in a way that distinguishes it with any reliability from other linguistic forms.

Required Materials:
Simpson, Paul (2004). Stylistics: A Resource for Students. SECOND EDITION 2014. ISBN: 978-0-415-64497-6 (paperback edition)
Most of the reading for this course, beyond the one required text, will be available on Canvas, though some may be handed out in class or placed on reserve in Carrier Library. You will need to print out or photocopy Blackboard and reserve materials as they are made available because you will need your own hardcopy for in-class discussions. Some materials and topics will be chosen by the class as a group.

Work and Grading: Class Participation (10%), Assignments(20%), Questions/Comments/Responses(10%), Tests (45%), Final Linguistic Analysis of a Text(15%). Except where noted, all work must be submitted on time and in-class unless I give you permission for late submission or for an alternative submission method. (Make requests in advance when at all possible and as soon as possible in other, extraordinary circumstances.) All work, must be done independently except when permission is given for group assignments.

• Attendance and participation are important parts of this course, and a good participation grade requires advance preparation of materials to be covered and an overall willingness to ask and answer questions and to engage in other class activities. There is no penalty if you miss up to two classes, but you cannot make up work due for class or done in class except with advance approval or extraordinary circumstances. Each additional absence beyond two lowers your participation grade by a third of a grade.
• Part of the outside work for this course consists of written questions and comments for every assigned linguistics reading (sometimes excluding readings from our textbook -- if explicitly excluded on a particular date): you will type or clearly write up one specific question about each reading and one brief comment or response related to it before the class discussion. We will use these questions and comments as part of our class discussion. Your "Questions/Comments/Responses" work will be assessed as acceptable based on evidence that you've read the reading carefully enough to choose specific details in the reading. If you must miss a class, you should still submit this work in the next class. The first will still count for full credit, after that these late submissions will count for half credit.
• You will also get posted assignments and in-class assignments of various types, such as applying a linguistic theory/model to a particular literary work or finding your own examples of a particular phenomen. In general, I expect to grade these only on level of effort. This means that, if I determine that you have made an acceptable effort on all parts of one of these assignments, you will get full credit for that assignment regardless of errors. If I decide at any point, however, that a different grading system will be needed for some or all of these assignments, you'll get clear notification both about what assignments will be graded and what the basis will be for the grading. You can miss up to two "ungraded" assignments without affecting the assignment grade, but assignments must be submitted on time, in class, except in pre-approved or extraordinary circumstances.
• Tests will be on specific aspects of what we have covered and will be announced at least a week in advance of when they are to be given. Tentative dates are also listed in the schedule belw.
• The final written linguistic analysis of a text will be based on topics you choose with me after the midpoint of the semester. This analysis will be due during finals week, as shown on the schedule below. Students will share preliminary project results in class at the end of the semester.

Please read my course policies for additional details about grading and other issues. Note: As in all your courses, your work for this course is subject to the JMU Honor Code. If you have a question or uncertainty about how any aspect of the honor code relates to your work in this course, see me for clarification as soon as the issue arises.

Daily Schedule: The details of the schedule will be worked out as we choose topics and readings. Check for updates, especially if you miss a class.

"All disciplines depend on language, but two of them also have language as an object -- literary studies and linguistics. Their objectives are not the same -- but they are sufficiently similar to invite close cooperation." Wolfgang Klein

Look here for assignments (beyond the reqular question/comment pair due for each secondary source as we begin to discuss it.)

• Due 9/2/15
• Due 9/7/15
• Due 9/9/15
• Due 9/11/15
(#5 - first in-class assignment, on clauses, done over two classes) (#6 - second in-class assignment, 9/11, on a parable)
• Due 9/14/15
(#8 in-class, 9/18, on poem scansion)
• Due 9/21/15
(#10 in-class, 9/25, on cooperative principle maxims and implicatures)
• Due 10/7/15
• Due 10/9/15
(#13 in-class, 10/14, on explaining humor in a short story) (#14 in-class, 10/19, on conceptual metaphor)
• Due 10/20/15
• Due 11/2/15
• Due 11/6/15
• Due 11/9/15
(#19 in-class, 11/11/15, on coherence relations in a story)
• Due 11/13/15
• Due 11/16/15
• #22 Due 11/18/15 - as mentioned in class, just bring a word or phrase that seems like a possible example of contemporary gendered language use

ENG302, fall 2015, © JMU