1 INHALTSVERZEICHNIS STUDIEN-INFORMATION ...

Middle English is a cover term for a number of regional varieties of the English language used
for about four centuries after the Norman Conquest, a time when no generally accepted Standard
variety of English existed. This seminar will on the one hand provide a short introduction into
the main features of Middle English, including a reading of various literary and non-literary
texts. On the other hand, the written seminar papers will investigate in more detail selected
linguistic aspects of different varieties of Middle English.
49
'Euro-English' – Myth or Reality
Barbara Seidlhofer, Wed 12-14, Room 5 (ab 9.3.)
'Euro-English' is a term that is often used rather loosely, referring to either the English jargon
employed in EU institutions, or to the ways Europeans of different first languages use English to
talk to each other. In this seminar, we will focus on the latter, investigating the increasing role
and actual use of English in the expanding European Union. After briefly taking stock of the
spread of English into most domains of both the public sphere and people's private lives, we shall
focus on the description of specific speech events in selected settings and conduct some
empirical research into the forms and functions of 'Euro-English' to see whether we can identify
any salient features of this use of English.
Participants will be invited to choose a setting they are interested in and to gather their own data
for description and discussion. A short reading list and an overview of possible themes will be
made available to facilitate preparation for the first few sessions in the summer term.
NB: Participants’ oral presentations will all take place during a Seminar Conference on a Friday
afternoon and all day Saturday (most probably on 20 and 21 May), concurrently with Prof. Ritt’s
seminar. Full participation in this seminar conference is essential, so please bear this in mind
when registering for the seminar.
Pragmatic Development in a Second Language
Gastprof. Gabriele Kasper, LEIDER KURZFRISTIG ABGESAGT!
This course examines theories, research methods, and substantive findings on second language
learners’ pragmatic development. Themes to be explored will include the relationship of
pragmatic and grammatical development, the role of different learning environments (such as
study abroad), options and effects of instruction, individual differences, and the interrelation of
social context, identity, and L2 pragmatic learning.
Required text: Kasper, G., & Rose, K. R. (2002). Pragmatic development in a second language. Oxford:
Blackwell.
Language Socialization as an Approach to Second Language Acquisition
Gastprof. Gabriele Kasper, LEIDER KURZFRISTIG ABGESAGT!
As one of many imports from other social sciences to second language acquisition (SLA),
Language Socialization has recently been touted as a ‘new paradigm’ for SLA. Whether or not
this categorization is warranted or hyperbolic is a matter of debate, but there can be little