Katherine
Barber, Canada's Word Lady
Founding
Editor-in-Chief, Canadian
Oxford Dictionary
presents
The
Rollicking History of the English Language
Thursdays:
9 January – 27 March, 2014, 1:00-3:00 pm
No
class February 20, 13 March, 20 March
Women's
Art Association of Canada
23
Prince Arthur Avenue, Toronto
3
minutes walk from St George Subway Station (Bedford St. exit)
Limited
free parking available – paid parking nearby
Open
to the general public
Why
is English spelling so chaotic? Why do we have so many synonyms? What
might your name tell you about the history of the language? What is
the history behind your favourite language pet peeve? This
course is a highly entertaining and informative survey of the
influences that have shaped English vocabulary over the years.
1) Celts and Anglo-Saxons: Why we have "feet" instead of "foots" and why we use the apostrophe for the possessive. German origins of our essential vocabulary and grammar.
2) Vikings: Why we wear skirts and shirts. Why the verb "to be" is so ridiculous.
3) The
Norman Invasion:
Why we have "pigs" in the open and "pork" on the
plate. The Norman Conquest, Medieval England and the origins of
chaotic English spelling.
4) Renaissance English: Why is there a "b" in "debt" and an "h" in "ghost"? Why do some folks say "y'all"?
5) The 18th Century: Re-examining our pet peeves. British and American spelling is different. Why?
6) The 19th Century to the Present : Why some people pronounce "herb" with an "h" and others without. Why Lufthansa supplies its first class passengers with "body bags" and why the French love "relooking".
7) American English: Have they corrupted the language?
8) Canadian English: How we can be very confusing to other English speakers.
$25/lecture
including refreshments during the break
Pay only for the lectures you attend.
payable
at the door by cash or cheque
For
more information or to register, call 416-693-4496 or email
wordlady.barber@gmail.com
If I lived in Toronto, I would be there. So interesting!
ReplyDeletePlease make your courses available as online webinars for those of us who do not live in Toronto but would like to attend the courses.
ReplyDeleteI will see what I can do.
DeleteI'll second that!
DeleteI'd love this... sadly I work during the day... any chance of an evening course?
ReplyDeleteat some point I will try to offer an evening course, but it is hard to find available venues. I am offering a "condensed" evening version at U of T in March: http://katherinebarber.blogspot.ca/2013/11/condensed-history-of-english-language.html
Delete