Week 1--
Readings:
“Where do English Departments Come From” and “The Roots of Modern Writing Instruction: Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Britain”
Who is English? Parker states “Its mother, the eldest daughter of Rhetoric, was Oratory-or what we now prefer to call public speaking or, simply, speech. Its father was Philology or what we now call linguistics. Their marriage, as I have suggested was short lived, and English is therefore the child of a broken home.”
The domestic metaphor used by the author was an effective way of describing the origin of English. English started off as a subject that was all encompassing (speech, literature, history, logic, language, etc.). However, the various sections began to branch off. Now, some branches of English are not only considered different subjects, but different departments.
It appears that the English department has been struggling for a while to maintain ownership of closely linked areas of study. Will the English discipline stand the test of time? My vote is yes. On a basic level, the principles of English are reading, writing, and speaking…..which are the cornerstones of communication. No matter what profession or field of study that you may choose, communication is essential, and communication skills start with English.
Nice discussion, Regina. What did you think of Kemp's Origins of Rhetoric podcast? It compliments your discussion here.
ReplyDeleteI think that English Departments may oftentimes have an identity crisis as they struggle to maintain their ownership. I also wonder if communications and linguistics departments should be on their own or if they should still be part of the all-encompassing English Department entity. What fascinates me the most is its diversity, which includes our own TCR Department.
You're right: Ultimately, communication is key, and that's what English is all about. Without it, we're dead in the water.
Dear Joseph and Regina...
ReplyDeleteI agree that English departments tend to have an "identity crisis", however I believe that English departments are only important to us today because English is today's global "lingua franca"...and with this importance comes responsibility. English departments are generally set up to serve a small subset of scholars...and could do a much better job of serving the needs of those who need to communicate clearly in English but for whom English is not the first language.