About English Language and Literature

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JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

About English Language and Literature

Post by JaneEyre »

Excerpt from a text I find so true

What does English Language and Literature offer?

Firstly, straddling the arts and sciences, language study truly has something for everyone, and is therefore a most attractive academic subject because language impinges on all subject areas. And (yes we can coordinate sentences with a conjunction), when language description and analysis is combined with the creativity and expressiveness of a rich literary heritage, the allure will surely speak to all but the most unimaginative.

As well as a source of pleasure, creativity and imagination, literature helps develop descriptive and rhetorical skills as arguments are justified with evidence, and conclusions based on logic and reason. More than this, our rich literary tradition charts the evolution of English from its origins to the present day. The shifts in word meanings, pronunciation and grammar are evident in the texts of each generation and ‘archaisms’ were once every bit as innovative and creative then as neologisms are for us today.

Further, any discussion of politics, power, beliefs and values need only look at history see how they were expressed through words, whose meanings and uses change over time, space and context, to this day. Literature provides the documentary evidence for the ways English has evolved and surely serves to humble any strident champions of ‘correctness’.
quasimodo
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Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by quasimodo »

A useful link to the history of the english langauage.Words invented,borrowed,adapted and so the list goes on and on...............

http://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/issues_new.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Literature is an area where I tread with trepidation.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
Daogroupie
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Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by Daogroupie »

Unfortunately the English Language A level is not rated so after GCSE you need to stick to English Literature until you get to university. Most schools don't even offer it. DG
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by scary mum »

There is a joint literature & language A level which tempted DD for a while, but I don't know how well that is regarded.
scary mum
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by Daogroupie »

Is that the AQA one?
Kingfisher
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Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:08 pm

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by Kingfisher »

Other boards do it as well, DAOGroupie. I know it well and advise you to steer clear!
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by JaneEyre »

Kingfischer and Daogroupie and all other people 'in the know', (waving :D )
what do you think of the combination
English literature OCR
English language AQA
+ or - Creative writing AQA ?
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by Daogroupie »

It seems a real shame that English Language has become tarnished like this.

Is there any board that is rated for A level English Language? DG
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by JaneEyre »

Daogroupie wrote:Unfortunately the English Language A level is not rated so after GCSE you need to stick to English Literature until you get to university. Most schools don't even offer it. DG
Daogroupie, is the Creative writing A level better rated than the English language one?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: About English Language and Literature

Post by Guest55 »

Daogroupie wrote:Unfortunately the English Language A level is not rated so after GCSE you need to stick to English Literature until you get to university. Most schools don't even offer it. DG
Sorry - where do you get that information from? It is rated for degrees like computer science.
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