The development of the English language - Afternoon

Course Programme

14:00 English as a global language Dr Karen Ottewell

15:15 Tea

15:45 British dialects and the sound and writing system Dr Karen Ottewell

17.00 Finish

Over the course of a day, we will be tracing the history of the English language from its Anglo-Saxon roots back in the 4th century AD through to its current status as a ‘glocal’ language with over 480 million speakers worldwide. Of course, it’s a tall order to cover some 1600 years of history in less than 6 hours! The aim of the course is, however, to give an overview of the major stages in the history of the English language as well as an insight into the key influences in its development. Whilst grounded in history and underpinned with linguistic detail, the approach will (hopefully) be engaging and not without humour.

Lunch

A selection of sandwiches will be available to purchase in the Terrace Bar.

Additional requirements

ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.

Further information about student support.

Entry requirements

No academic qualification is required, and most courses are suitable for students who are new to the subject.

All teaching is in English (unless a foreign-language course). If your first language is not English, you need to satisfy yourself that you have the required near-native command of the language to get the maximum benefit from studying with ICE.

This course takes place at Madingley Hall, home to the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

About Madingley Hall

Madingley Hall itself is an impressive manor house dating back to the mid-16th century. The decoration of the Saloon and the formal Stair Hall was carried out 200 years later, and the whole fabric was renovated with great care around 1900. About four miles from the centre of Cambridge, the Hall stands in several acres of beautifully-maintained gardens and overlooks a landscape which has changed relatively little since it was laid out by Capability Brown. It is just four miles from the centre of Cambridge, and only 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.

Getting here

For more information see directions to Madingley Hall

We now have a mini-bus service which runs between the station and Madingley Hall. For the timetable and further information, please see our Lifelong Learning page or contact the reception desk at ICE.