Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2024 - ENGL 470W D100

Seminar in the English Language (4)

Class Number: 4724

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Sean Zwagerman
    szwagerm@sfu.ca
    Office: 6141 AQ
    Office Hours: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, and Wednesdays, 2:00-3:00

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units including at least one upper division English course, or permission of instructor. Reserved for English honours, major, joint major and minor students.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Advanced seminar in linguistic, pragmatic, historical and social theories of the English language. The course may be repeated for credit if a different topic is taught, though students who obtained credit for English 470W prior to Summer 2015 may not take this course for further credit. Students with credit for ENGL 470 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

COURSE DETAILS:

Words and Deeds

The British philosopher J. L. Austin gave a series of lectures at Harvard in 1955 on the topic of “Words and Deeds.” Published posthumously as How to Do Things with Words, Austin’s work on speech-act theory has had a profound influence on philosophy, linguistics, sociology, rhetoric, and communication. Although the things we say and write can be judged as true or false, Austin recognized that our speech acts can also be assessed—just like physical acts—in terms of success and failure. Further, the class of utterances that Austin named “performatives” do not merely describe reality, they create it; to say, “I bet you twenty dollars” is not to describe the act of betting, it is the act of betting. Austin found failure particularly interesting: why do “I promise to be there” and "I now pronounce you husband and wife" sound fine, but “I persuade you” and “I insult you” do not? Could those speech acts work, if society had those conventions? Or is there something impossible about them?

Speech-act theory provides a natural bridge between the philosophy of language and rhetorical theory as terminologies for understanding language and the social structures that language creates. So we’ll read some rhetorical theories as well, and discuss some real-world examples of speech acts that have or seek social power: the fascinating language of religious marriage annulments, the recent declaration in Alabama that human embryos count as persons, and the argument that all non-Indigenous people in Canada should have the status of uninvited guests. We will also read and watch a great American play, coincidentally published the same year as How to Do Things with Words: Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which confronts the tragic and comedic limits of what humans can do with words.

Grading

  • Participation in class 10%
  • In-class presentation and leading of discussion 25%
  • shorter paper 25%
  • Longer paper or project, revised 40%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Albee, Edward. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962). Any edition will do.

Austin, J. L. How to Do Things with Words. (1962). Available as a Harvard paperback or online through SFU’s library.

All other readings will be available free of charge online or through Canvas.


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.

For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.