History of the English Language LM (2010/2011)

Learning outcomes

This course aims at analysing the history of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in relation to the egemonic role of Standard American English.

Tesina OBBLIGATORIA, per frequentanti e non, su tema da decidere con il docente, esclusivamente in formato cartaceo al Docente o alla Segreteria del Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature con almeno 15 gg di anticipo rispetto alla data dell’appello nel quale lo studente intende sostenere l’esame.

Acham, C. “Conclusion: Movin’ On Up” in Revolution Televised. Prime Time and the Struggle for Black Power. Minneapolis, U of Minnesota P 2004, pp. 170-216
Baugh, J., “Ebonics and Its Controversy” in Finegan, E. and J.R: Rickford, Language in the USA. Cambridge, Cambridge UP 2004, pp. 305-318
Gates, H.L. Jr., The Signifying Monkey. Oxford, Oxford UP 1988, pp. 3-43, 43-88, 99-100, 127-132
Green, L. “African American English” in E. Finegan and J.R. Rickford, Language in the USA. Themes for the twenty-first century. Cambridge, Cambridge UP 2004, pp. 77-91
Hurston, Z.N., Tre quarti di dollaro dorati. Venezia, Marsilio 1992 (con testo a fronte)
Kautzsch, A., The historical evolution of earlier African American English. Berlin, Mouton de Guyter 2002, pp. 1-11
King, M.L., “I Have a Dream” (1963) http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
Lakoff, R.T., “Ebonics – It’s Cronic” in The Language War. U of California P 2000, pp. 227-251
Lee, S. Get On the Bus (1996) DVD disponibile al CLA
Lighter, J.E., Random House Dictionary of Historical American Slang, “Cool”, “Coon” “Funk”, “Nigger”
Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet” (1964) http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/Malcolm_x/1.htm
Oakland resolution (1996) http://linguistlist.org/topics/ebonics/ebonics-res1.html
Pilgrim, D. “The Coon Caricature” http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/coon/
Spallino, C. Testo della conferenza su African American English e Z. N. Hurston, di imminente pubblicazione sul sito www.iperstoria.it
Twain, M. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
Wolfram, W. and E.R. Thomas, The Development of African American English. Oxford, Blackwell 2002, pp. 12-31

Oral exam.