English Language is a course that combines reading and detailed analysis of language with original writing.
English Language will help you to look at language in a systematic way, considering such issues as the ‘rules’ of grammar, how language varies in different circumstances and changes over time.
It’s a great subject if your aspirations are for involves writing and analysis of text, past students have gone on to a range of university courses and jobs including journalism, teaching, languages, and many professions.
In your first year you will take a look at a wide range of texts for analysis, focusing additionally on consideration of how language is used in different ways including:
As a mark of power and authority
As a reflection of gender
To reflect the effect which communication technology has had on our language
First year coursework is an original writing portfolio of two pieces with accompanying language commentaries.
In the second year your coursework will be a 2,500 word language investigation project and the creation of a 1,000 word Media text. You will also learn a great deal about language change and Child Language Acquisition.
We have an expert running a creative writing course one day a week after college. The college magazine will be produced at regular intervals. You can enter the Brunner Prize, a creative writing competition. We work closely with the Somerset Records Office in Looking at older language data. The Huish Linguistics Society (HLS) discusses a wide range of language issues.