(Set) Old English Literature: Language as History & Language Families of the World

Place the origins of the English language in the larger context of the world’s equally fascinating language families with this two-course set. In Old English Literature: Language as History, learn the basics of Old English and what literature can tell us about the origins of English-speaking culture in medieval Britain. And in Language Families of the World, travel back through time and around the world, following the linguistic trails left by generations of humans that lead back to the beginnings of language.

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History of the English Language, 2nd Edition

Sixteen centuries ago a wave of settlers from northern Europe came to the British Isles speaking a mix of Germanic dialects. Today we call that dialect Old English, the ancestor of the language nearly one in five people in the world speaks every day. How did this ancient tongue evolve into the elegant idiom of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and other great writers? And how does English continue develop today? The History of the English Language, 2nd Edition, is Professor Seth Lerer’s revised and updated investigation of the remarkable history of English.

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Language and Society: What Your Speech Says About You

Language shapes our experience, our thinking, our perceptions, and the very social systems within which our lives unfold. In these 24 revealing lectures, you’ll discover the remarkable ways in which our society is a reflection of our language; how differences in the way people use language create differences in society; and ultimately how our linguistic choices play a determining role in every aspect of our lives.

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The Secret Life of Words: English Words and Their Origins

It’s a human impulse to play with language and to create new words and meanings—but also to worry about the decay of language. But by studying how and why language changes and the story behind the everyday words in our lexicon, we can learn a lot about ourselves—how our minds work and how our culture has changed over the centuries. In The Secret Life of Words: English Words and Their Origins, you’ll get a delightful, informative survey of English, from its Germanic origins to the rise of globalization and cyber-communications. Award-winning Professor Anne Curzan of the University of Michigan approaches the subject like an archaeologist, digging below the surface to uncover the story of words.

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(SET) Language A to Z & Story of Human Language

Join celebrated linguist and Great Courses professor John McWhorter for a fascinating two-course exploration of the secrets of human language. In the twenty-four 15-minute lectures of Language A to Z, use the English alphabet as a unique, offbeat way to hopscotch through some of the major topics, hot-button issues, and curious factoids in linguistics. And in Story of Human Language, experience the story of how a single tongue spoken 300,000 years ago may have evolved into the estimated 7,000 languages used worldwide today.

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