1) What are the differences between Early Modern English and Present-Day English?
2) Discuss variation in Australian English.
3) Would you consider Belgium an ESL of an EFL country? Explain why.
4) What are the differences between Netspeak and traditional writing?
5) Discuss the origins of Modern Standard English.
2008 - 2009: Professor Mieke Van Herreweghe
1) Explain the following terms and names briefly: Robert Cawdrey, The Pale, The Mayflower.
2) Complete the CIPA chart on the dotted lines.
3) Give the technical linguistic term for the word formation of the following terms and explain their origin: Fridge, scuba, ping-pong, dinkies
4) Describe the linguistic variety on the Caribbean Islands.
5) Give four reasons why the English spelling reform has not happened to this day.
6) Give four features of pronunciation of Scottish English.
7) What would you prefer as a model for pronunciation? Received Pronunciation or Estuary English? Explain both terms briefly and motivate your choice.
8) Give the origin of the following words: Regal, avocado, to eat sour grapes, it's Greek to me, chesterfield.
9) Describe how the three major dialect areas in Northern America are related to the original settlers.
10) Give the phonetic transcription of: foot, verve.
11) Discuss these terms/names: King Alfred, Lindley Murray, John Walker, Dieth-Orton, Gaeltacht
12) Discuss the phenomenon of double negation in the history of the English language
13) Give 4 reasons why words are borrowed from another language
14) Discuss the Academy debate in the 17th and 18th century
15) Identify this extract (Caedmon's hymn) and discuss its vocabulary features. Give examples
16) Give 2 views on jargon
17) Give the "technical" linguistic term for the process which gave rise to the following words and discuss their origin: scuba, coffee, phone, nitwit, yummies
18) Give 4 pronunciation features of Welsh
19) Discuss the word formation of these words: head-hunters, increase, anti-globlisation (word formation tree)
20) Discuss the origin of these words: ashet, Thames, place, give, street, to play fast and loose, snoop, hichory, weekender, to kick against the pricks
2009 - 2010: Professor Mieke Van Herreweghe
1) Transcribe these words phonemically: pleasure, thought
2) Fill in the IPA-chart
3) Why is 1476 an important date?
4) Discuss the view on linguistic variation of English in South-Africa
5) Discuss briefly and to the point: lost colony, David Rosewarne, John Wyclif, Robert Lowth, Phonotypy.
6) Discuss the major influences on the development of Standard English.
7) Discuss the influence of Old Norse on the Old English vocabulary.
8) Identify and discuss grammatical features in this extract. (Peterborough Chronicle)
9) Word-formation: discuss the words "non-flammable" and "anti-globalisation" (+ tree diagram).
10) Discuss the criteria needed for nativisation/Anglicisation of foreign words.
11) Discuss the more recently distinctions of English in South-Africa.
12) Cartoon "political incorrectness": discuss.
13) Give the origin of following words/expressions: five after eight, the nick, garda, in the twinkle of an eye, riding, ...
14) Give the linguistic "technical term" for these words: WAG, NASA, slithy, flu, ...
15) Give the phonemic transcription of 'died' and 'faces'.
2011-2012: Professor Mieke Van Herreweghe
1) Put "realisation" in a tree diagram
2) Give 4 types of Welsh-pronunciation
3) What is Am. English, what is British? zed, /leftenant/, French doors, terraced house, 'princess, ...
4) Explain briefly RP, Estuary English and General American + which one would you choose
5) Criteria for anglicasation + example
6) 1204: important for English history and language: why?
7) Extract from Caedmon: situate + explain vocabulary in Old English
8) Extract from Thomas Wilson: situate + explain.
9) give origin + standard british english version: de green mango, Away to your..., it was you, isn't it, i'll be by the house
10) Welke vowels worden besproken in dit diagram (checked vowels) en waarvoor staan de nummers (front, central, back, close, close-mid, open-mid, open)
11) List four Old-English symbols, their names and their phonetic value.
12) Which English dialect became the standard and list five major factors that contributed to this.
13) 10 words/phrases you needed to identify as either American English or British English, including: roundabout, cigaret, That was really good, traveler, checking account, vase + leisure spelled phonetically
14) Create a tree diagram of "inflammation".
15) Discuss linguistic variety in Australia.
16) Would you prefer Received Pronunciation, Estuary English or General American as a model for pronuncation at Ghent University? Explain why.
17) Write phonetically (in RP): about, dogs.
18) Explain Kuchra's model of the concentric circles.
19) Explain the "linking r" and give an example.
20) "Loo, what sholde a man in thyse dayes now wryte, egges or eyren?" Who wrote this and what is meant by it?
