Undergraduate Course: History of Scots (LASC10098)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course examines the emergence, structure and status of Scots from its earliest beginnings to c.1900. |
| Course description |
The course will study the emergence, structure and status of Scots from its earliest beginnings to c.1900. For each major stage in the language's development, the course will: (i) survey the socio-historical context; (ii) identify the major structural changes; (iii) consider theories of linguistic change. Students will additionally learn to read and analyse selected Older and early Modern Scots texts and to interpret Scottish place-names and other commonly-used Scottish terms.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 3 Linguistics/Language Sciences courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/ College level courses. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 27,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
169 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Mid-term assignment (short-answer) - 40%
UG final essay - 60% (2,000 words, with an allowance of +/- 10%)
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| Feedback |
Ongoing feedback to students during lectures and seminars;
Advice on assessed coursework throughout the course;
Detailed marker comments on assessed coursework;
A Q&A session on essay topics |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Comment on linguistic features of texts from Early, early Middle, late Middle and early Modern Scots
- Describe diachronic developments at all levels of language in the history of Scots
- Identify key figures and events in the history of the Scots language and explain their impact
- Comment on linguistic features of texts from Early, early Middle, late Middle and early Modern Scots
- Comment on linguistic features of texts from Early, early Middle, late Middle and early Modern Scots
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Reading List
Görlach, M. 2002. A Textual History of Scots. Heidelberg: C. Winter.
Jones, C. (ed.) 1997. The Edinburgh History of the Scots Language. Edinburgh: EdinburghUniversity Press.
Macafee, C. & ¿A.J. Aitken. 2002. A History of Scots to 1700. [Online at: www.dsl.ac.uk/about-scots/history-of-scots/]
McColl Millar, R. 2020. A Sociolinguistic History of Scotland. Edinburgh: EUP.
McColl Millar, R. 2023. A History of the Scots Language. Oxford: OUP.
Smith, J. 2012. Older Scots: A Linguistic Reader. Scottish Text Society: Edinburgh. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
The lectures, interactive learning sessions, and assessment, provide students skills in analysing Older Scots text data, identifying features and using this as evidence to form arguments. Students will develop skills in considering wider perspectives in interpreting literature and arguments and applying this to a minority language which has been underserved in linguistics research. In the interactive learning sessions the students work in groups to come to conclusions together, usually on work sheets set earlier in the week which they prepare for ahead of time. The mid-term and final assessment helps students develop their written communication, research, and time management.
Core skills gained or developed on this course:
Being open to different perspectives; Challenging own perspectives and assumptions; Critical thinking; Critical analysis and evaluation; Data analysis and evaluation; Formulating original arguments and justifying it; Group work (delegation, influencing, conflict resolution, motivating others, taking responsibility); Independence; Oral communication (discussion, debating respectfully, influencing); Preparation, planning and organisation; Academic reading skills; Research skills; Time management; Understanding broader perspectives; Workload management; Written communication; Writing clearly and concisely. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Lisa Gotthard
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Susan Hermiston
Tel: (0131 6)50 3440
Email: |
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