English Language

In this course, Professor Bas Aarts (University College, London) provides an introduction to English grammar in context. In the first two modules, we ask the questions 'What is grammar?' and 'Why study grammar?', before turning in the third module...

In this course, Dr Jack Wilson (University of Salford) explores the use of gesture in communication. In the first module, we think about the concept of multimodality, the idea that communication can involve different 'modes', e.g. linguistic,...

In this course, Mr Dan Clayton (Independent Scholar) explores a variety of linguistic issues related to the use of the English language. In the first module, we think about why people take language so seriously, and why debates about its 'correct'...

In this course, Professor Peter Stockwell (University of Nottingham) demonstrates the power of literary linguistics through of series of close readings of literary texts. In the first module, we provide an introduction to literary linguistics by...

In this course, Professor Jonathan Charteris-Black (UWE Bristol) explores political language. In the first module, we explore the various definitions of political language, before turning in the second module to think about the different levels at...

In this course, Professor Veronika Koller (Lancaster University) provides an introduction to discourse analysis. In the first module, we introduce the concept of discourse, before turning in the second module to think about the concept of critical...

In this course, Professor Rodney Jones (University of Reading) explores how we can analyse texts on a linguistic level, i.e. by looking at the language itself. In the first module, we think about what we mean by the word 'text', including the...

In this course, Dr Dominic Watt (University of York) explores the concept of accent bias – the idea that some accents are considered 'better' or 'more correct' than others. In the first module, we think about what we mean when we talk about...

In this course, the writer and critic Edmund Gordon (author of The Invention of Angela Carter: A Biography) provides some tips and tricks for improving one's creative writing, both fiction and non-fiction. In the first module, we think about the...

In this course, Dr Helen Ringrow (University of Portsmouth) explores issues of gender and sexuality in media texts. In the first module, we provide a brief introduction to some of the issues we'll be discussing in the rest of the course, including...

In this course, Dr Lucy Jones (University of Nottingham) explores language use through the lens of gender and sexuality. In the first module, we outline some of the traditional approaches to the question of why men and women use language...

In this course, Professor Lesley Jeffries (University of Huddersfield) explores some aspects of language and power. In the first module, we think about the relationship between power, ideology and language, including the concept of ideation. In...