English 271 • Fall 2008 • Professor S. Evans
In this course we have examined the question “What is language?” from a number of different standpoints, including the philosophical (Plato, Aristotle, Heidegger), linguistic (Saussure, Jakobson), anthropological (Levi-Strauss), and pragmatic (Austin). If you were to hazard your own provisional answer to this dauntingly multifaceted question, which three thinkers would you rely upon for primary guidance and support? Which of their concepts and claims strike you as most indispensable in creating an adequate and well-rounded account of what language is and does? Which of their insights most cry out for emendation or correction (either by other theorists or by your own good thinking)?
A successful essay will offer specific claims, warranted by explicit arguments and supported by well-framed textual evidence drawn from our syllabus, in response to the central question “What is language?”
Due date: Electronic and hard copies due by start of class on Tuesday, 4 November 2008.
Format: Follow MLA format for research papers, including 1 inch margins, 10-12pt print font (Times New Roman or comparable), double-spaced. Papers not following MLA format, or containing more than two typographical errors per page, will be returned for student correction. Suggested length: five (5) pages.