The English Language - WAC Clearinghouse

1 The e nglish languageGrounded in linguistic research and argumentation, The English Language : From Sound to Sense offers readers who have little or no analytic understanding of English a thorough treatment of the various components of the Language . Its goal is to help readers become independent Language analysts capable of critically evaluating claims about the Language and the people who use it. Written in a clear style, it guides its readers on topics including basic assumptions about Language and discourse, pronunciation, word-formation strategies, parts of speech, clause elements and patterns, how clauses may be combined into sentences, and how clauses and sentences are modified to suit speakers and writers discourse English Language avoids presenting the Language as set of arbitrary facts by ground-ing its conclusions in the analytic methods that have characterized the best grammatical and linguistic practices for hundreds of years.

2 Although its perspectives derive from modern-traditional and generative grammar, its goal is to provide its readers with a broad spectrum of basic knowledge about English . Its stance is rigorously descriptive, but the object of its description is the standard variety of the Language , thus making it an invalu-able resource compatible with a wide range of purposes, including educated engagement with the Language issues that periodically convulse the media and educational institutions. Each chapter contains a glossary of terms, a list of readings, and numerous exercises (many using authentic texts).Gerald P. Delahunty is Associate Professor of Linguistics and English and Assistant Chair of the Colorado State University Department of English , where he teaches courses on all aspects of linguistics and occasional courses on Irish literature.

3 He has published on syntactic theory, English syntax, sociolinguistics, and Irish archaeology. James J. Garvey taught linguistics and literature courses in the English Department at Colorado State University. He died tragically in on WritingSeries Editor, Mike PalmquistThe WAC Robinson StreetWest Lafayette, IN A N: 2 5 4 - 8 8 7 9 ISBN 978-1-60235-180-6 The English languageFrom Sound to Sense gerald P. DelahuntyJames J. garveyDelahuntygarveyWaC Clearing-houseParlorPressThe English languagePERSPECTIVES ON WRITINGS eries Editor, Mike PalmquistPERSPECTIVES ON WRITINGS eries Editor, Mike PalmquistThe Perspectives on Writing series addresses writing studies in a broad sense. Consistent with the wide ranging approaches characteristic of teaching and scholarship in writing across the curriculum, the series presents works that take divergent perspectives on working as a writer, teaching writing, administering writing programs, and studying writing in its various WAC Clearinghouse and Parlor Press are collaborating so that these books will be widely available through free digital distribution and low-cost print editions.

4 The publishers and the series editor are teachers and researchers of writing, committed to the principle that knowledge should freely circulate. We see the opportunities that new technologies have for further democratizing knowledge. And we see that to share the power of writing is to share the means for all to articulate their needs, interest, and learning into the great experiment of Books in the SeriesCharles Bazerman and David R. Russell, Writing Selves/Writing Societies (2003)Charles Bazerman, Adair Bonini, and D bora Figueiredo (Eds.), Genre in a Changing World (2009)David Franke, Alex Reid and Anthony DiRenzo (Eds.), Design Discourse: Composing and Revising the Professional and Technical Writing Curriculum (2010)Gerald P.

5 Delahunty and James Garvey, The English Language : from Sound to Sense (2010)The English LanguageFrom Sound to SenseGerald P. DelahuntyJames J. GarveyThe WAC Collins, ColoradoParlor Lafayette, IndianaThe WAC Clearinghouse , Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1052 2010 Gerald P. DelahuntyCopyeditor, Designer: David DoranSeries Editor: Mike PalmquistLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataDelahunty, Gerald Patrick. The English Language : from sound to sense / Gerald P. Delahunty, James J. Garvey. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60235-180-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-1-60235-181-3 (adobe eb-ook) 1. Linguistics. 2. Language and languages. 3. English Language --Study and teaching.

6 I. Garvey, James J. II. title . 2010 425--dc22 2010011194 The WAC Clearinghouse supports teachers of writing across the disciplines. Hosted by Colorado State University, it brings together scholarly journals and book series as well as resources for teachers who use writing in their courses. This book is available in digital format for free download at Parlor Press, LLC is an independent publisher of scholarly and trade titles in print and multimedia formats. This book is available in paperback and Adobe eBook formats from Parlor Press on the World Wide Web at For submis-sion information or to find out about Parlor Press publications, write to Parlor Press, 816 Robinson St.

7 , West Lafayette, Indiana, 47906, or e-mail Marna and CianTo the memory of James J. GarveyviiContents1 Introduction to the Linguistic Study of Language 3key concepts ..3who these books are for ..3how to use these books ..3what these books are about ..3communication..4language ..5discourse..5text ..6genre ..6ideology..7language in education..7thinking critically about Language ..10standard English ..11grammar..12other reasons for studying and teaching about Language ..14the organization of these books ..15hints for success ..16references and resources ..18glossary..192 Conceptions of Language and Grammar 23the study of Language .

8 23the roles of the English teacher..25what is a Language ?..27competence and performance..38approaches to the study of Language ..43references and resources ..49glossary..513 A Skeletal Introduction to English Grammar 57introduction ..57clauses..58sentences..68phrases..72c omplementation and modification..74words..75morphemes..76pa rts of speech ..77viiiregular and irregular forms ..79grammatical categories..79sounds and spelling..81form, function, and meaning ..82references and resources ..87glossary..874 Phonetics and Phonology 89introduction ..89articulatory phonetics.

9 89consonants ..91vowels ..98syllables and feet..105phonology..107phonemes..108allo phones ..108phonological rules ..113references and resources ..116glossary..1175 Morphology and Word Formation 121introduction ..121words and morphemes ..122morphemes, allomorphs, and morphs..124words..125registers and words..137the internal structure of complex words ..138classifying words by their morphological properties..140references and resources ..141glossary..141appendix a: some English derivational morphemes ..1426 The Major Parts of Speech 147introduction ..147the major parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs.

10 148references and resources ..184glossary..185 Appendix to major parts of speech ..187references and resources for appendix..1927 The Minor Parts of Speech 193introduction ..193ixpronouns..194articles ..208auxiliary verbs..213prepositions..216intensifiers ..221conjunctions ..222references and resources ..230glossary..2308 Word Meaning 235introduction ..235dictionary entries ..236mental dictionaries ..261concluding remarks..267references and resources ..268glossary..2699 Phrases 273introduction.