A survey of the development of the English language from its Indo-European roots to its present variations with attention to both historical linguistics and sociolinguistics. The course explores the concept of language, the early origins of English, patterns of pronunciation and spelling, linguistic diversity through time, and modern dialectal variation. As well, it explores political, economic, and cultural factors that have helped to determine the character of the multiple forms of the language that are spoken today. Students engage in some close study of earlier forms of English. Prerequisite: One course with attribute G1 including AP or IB credit.