Etymology: Building the English Language

    $314.15

    “The Etymology class was really fascinating. I learned about the English language, and how it became the way it is, and about different roots of words and the languages they came from. Professor Suki was great. She made the class really interesting and understandable, while at the same time teaching me all kinds of things that I still benefit from today. Before I took this class, I didn’t know words could be studied. I think that discovery will probably influence the rest of my life, and wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for this class.” -Student O.S.

    Enrollment

    Available

    Step 1: Register Your Student

    Step 2: Enroll Your Registered Student

    InstructorProf. Suki Wessling
    Content LevelsGrades 5-6 • Upper Elementary
    Grades 6-7 • Middle School
    Grades 7-8 • Junior High
    Course Length16 weeks
    Live Webinars Held OnTuesdays, 9:00 - 9:50 AM Pacific - 8/26/25 - 12/17/25
    Additional ComponentsAsynchronous Option

    Get ready for a fun romp through the history of the English language, while building understanding of vocabulary, spelling, culture, and history along the way.

    How can learning the history of a language help you build your vocabulary? In the case of English, vocabulary is full of history!

    Just knowing where a word came from can help you guess at its meaning, and understanding the history of how English was created will teach you that language is more than just a list of vocabulary words to study.

    The English language is a living history of the people who have spoken it, from the early Celt residents of the British Isles to the conquering Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings who went to France and then returned as Normans, and all the people around the world that lived in colonies governed by the British Empire.

    In Etymology: Building the English Language, we’ll learn the history of the language while also studying helpful Greek and Latin word roots and pondering why English is one of the richest human languages.

    A word from the instructor: 

    Navigate to the “What to Expect” tab to discover what to expect each week!

    Taught by Prof. Suki Wessling

    What to expect in the Required section in the classroom each week:

    • Weekly short chapters about the history of the English language.
    • Video and text links to supplementary materials
    • Contributions via forums to our “Etymology Explorations” (researching the history and meaning of interesting words)

    What to expect in the Highly Suggested & Optional sections in the classroom each week:

    • Curated resources, including websites & videos, are provided to excite learners and to add depth to the subject matter.

    What to expect during the weekly webinar:

    • Weekly webinars are 50 minutes long. Webinars are recorded and are available for students with schedule conflicts.
    • Primary instruction and guided discussions are provided during live webinars.
    • Active Participation (via the microphone and chat) in online class discussions.
    • Each week we will discuss the area of history that the book has covered, with supplementary information and fun language explorations. We will research Latin and Greek word roots, and discuss the history of words that students have come across during the week.

    What topics to expect each week (weeks 1-16):

    1. Introduction – What is etymology? – What is the difference between looking at language through a prescriptive and a descriptive lens?
    2. What is language? – What are languages? – Human migration – Prehistory of English – Proto-Indo European – The English family tree
    3. Ancient Greece – What is a lingua franca? – Greek roots in English – What is a highly inflected language? 
    4. Early humans in Britain – Celtic influence on English – The Roman Conquest – The influence of early Latin on English – the language of everyday people vs. the ruling class
    5. Word case – How do we talk about language? – What makes communication a language? 
    6. The end of the Roman Empire – the arrival of the Vikings – Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, oh my! – the transition to Middle English – the influence of Christianity on English
    7. Written English – pronunciation of Old and Middle English – Anglo-Saxon writings – Beowulf
    8. Battle of Hastings – Changes in English – Borrowed words – Affect of social class on vocabulary
    9. Writing systems – Influence of writing systems on spoken language – Spelling
    10. Medieval England – Influence of Christianity and politics – King James Bible – Literacy – The word “you”
    11. Elizabethan England – Children and speech – The development of English literature – Shakespeare
    12. Sailing the high seas! – The New World’s influence on English – Vocabulary from the colonies – The development of American literature
    13. The Declaration of Independence and the independence of American English – The legacy of the slave trade in English – Noah Webster and spelling reform – technology and language
    14. Language change – American and British English move apart – The British Empire and the spread of English – Pidgins and Creoles – Lingua Franca – Slang
    15. World languages family trees – Language change – Creativity in language
    16. Wrapping up the evolution of English – The future of English – Prescriptive vs. Descriptive redux

    Before taking this course, students should be able to: 

    • Read at a solid 6th-grade level or above.

    Students should be willing to:

    • Actively participate (via the microphone) in the class discussion.
    • Encourage class discussion by adding their questions/ideas in the chat window during the webinar.
    • Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ posts in the classroom forums.

    Required books & materials:

    • All materials will be provided in the classroom.