Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths of Language Usage

Overview

Course No. 2212
Is English really in decline? Linguist Professor John McWhorter dismantles common misconceptions about our language in 24 fascinating lectures that reveal:

• Why English isn’t “broken” but wonderfully evolved
• How historical invasions shaped modern grammar
• The truth about “proper” vs. “incorrect” usage
• Why texting and slang aren’t ruining English
• How English compares to other world languages

Through surprising linguistic evidence and witty analysis, you’ll gain a new appreciation for English’s rich history and dynamic present.

Video Lessons

1. Alarm Over English Decay (31 min)
   Investigate claims that English is deteriorating and explore its unique place among global languages.
2. Old English Ancestry (30 min)
   Trace English to Proto-Germanic roots through sound changes and migration patterns.
3. Not Exactly Anglo-Saxon (30 min)
   Re-examine the oversimplified story of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes bringing English to Britain.
4. Celtic Connections (30 min)
   Discover Celtic grammatical influences in everyday English constructions.
5. From Insider to Lingua Franca (30 min)
   Compare small tribal languages with global tongues like English.
6. English as Easy German (28 min)
   See how English simplified Germanic grammar through fascinating examples.
7. Viking Conquest Effects (27 min)
   Learn how Old Norse fusion created Middle English’s streamlined grammar.
8. Modern English Vocabulary (31 min)
   Explore Celtic, Norse, French, and Latin contributions to our word wealth.
9. Black English Evolution (29 min)
   Understand African American Vernacular as natural language streamlining.
10. Blackboard Grammar Origins (31 min)
    Meet 18th-century Bishop Lowth, source of many “correct usage” rules.
11. Pronoun Fashion Shifts (30 min)
    Track changing pronoun usage and the singular “they” controversy.
12. Then vs. Now Usage (29 min)
    Compare “errors” from Anne Bradstreet and Dickens that sound right today.
13. Language Fossils (30 min)
    Excavate linguistic artifacts like the N in “Ned” from “mine Ed.”
14. Logic in Language (29 min)
    Examine double negatives and why they make sense in most languages.
15. Clarity as Logic (30 min)
    Probe English illogicalities from “the” to “aren’t I.”
16. Strunk & White’s Legacy (31 min)
    Evaluate classic style guides’ mix of wisdom and personal preference.
17. Hidden Grammar Types (30 min)
    Discover underappreciated grammatical structures like misfortune “got.”
18. Linguists’ Grammar (31 min)
    Learn surprising truths from The Cambridge Grammar of English.
19. Speech vs. Writing (32 min)
    Contrast spoken and written English across historical periods.
20. Speechmaking Styles (33 min)
    Track the shift from oratorical flourishes to plain speaking.
21. Writing Style Changes (32 min)
    Compare 20th-century school texts showing evolving prose standards.
22. Poetry’s Transformation (34 min)
    Analyze how poetic language changed from Longfellow to Cobain.
23. Texting Misconceptions (30 min)
    Defend digital communication as filling a conversational writing niche.
24. English’s Future (34 min)
    Project where English is heading based on its dynamic past.