The Art of English

ENGL E300 The Art of English is a 20-credit, higher level course which is adapted from course E301 of the same name presented by the UK Open University (UKOU). The UKOU code (E301) has been retained in the course books and the CD-ROMs.

Creativity in English, and other languages, is often thought to be the preserve of skilled speakers and writers – literary authors, perhaps media professionals and great orators. Increasingly, however, researchers have come to be interested in creativity in more everyday contexts. Creativity in language is seen as ‘not simply a property of exceptional people, but an exceptional property of all people’ (Carter, 2004, p. 13). Such everyday creativity has been linked to literary creativity: it is argued that the seeds of ‘high-culture’ literary English are to be found in much more routine uses of the language.

The course takes a broad approach to the study of creative language use. We look at creative practices in everyday conversation, children’s language, letter writing, graffiti and internet chat rooms, through to advertisements and other media texts as well as traditional literary genres – poetry, narrative fiction and drama. Across these diverse contexts we explore the forms linguistic creativity may take, and how it is used to particular effect. We engage critically with arguments about what counts as literature, what if anything is distinctive about literary language, and how one may judge literary quality. We also examine different theoretical and analytical approaches to the study of linguistic creativity. The course has an international dimension, enabling you to explore language use in different parts of the English-speaking world. It should also help you to consider your own experiences of creativity in English.

The overall aim of the course is to examine creativity in the English language, not just in ‘high culture’ literary texts but also in everyday language use and certain media forms.

A guiding principle of ENGL E300 is to develop the idea of a continuum between everyday creative uses of English and literature, and thus illuminate the similarities and differences in creativity between them.

On completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Describe the diverse forms that creativity/verbal art may take in English, and explain how these relate to different literary, cultural and socio-historical contexts.
• Differentiate the roles of different participants (including authors, designers, translators, directors, speakers, listeners, readers and viewers) in the construction and interpretation of ‘artful’ texts and practices.
• Describe and evaluate different theoretical accounts of the nature and functions of creativity/verbal art in both everyday and literary uses of English, using appropriate linguistic and critical terminology.
• Apply stylistic knowledge to support assessments of literary quality.

The central component of ENGL E300 is two course books, the general coverage of which is outlined below. (For more information on the other course elements, see the later section on 'Course materials'.)

The two course books are:

Maybin, J. and Swann, J. (eds) (2006) The Art of English: everyday creativity.

This first book focuses on everyday creativity in spoken and written English. Early chapters examine how speakers routinely use forms of language often associated with literary texts in their everyday talk, for instance in language play (puns, etc.), jokes and other forms of verbal humour, metaphorical imagery, narratives of personal experience and everyday 'performance' in interaction with others. Later chapters examine creative uses of written English, varying from graffiti and text messages to letter writing, diaries and online chat. Our focus here is on the contemporary functions and meanings of literacy in people's lives and the ways in which speakers of English use different kinds of reading and writing to construct and express aspects of their identities.

Goodman, S. and O'Halloran, K. (eds) (2006) The Art of English: literary creativity.

The second course book focuses on creativity in literary texts. It draws on traditional literary genres to explore poetic language, plot and characterisation in narratives, and dramatic text and performance. It also examines a range of other texts and genres, including advertisements, picture books, film and online theatre. It discusses the art of translation between English and other languages, and also focuses on the important role of the reader, or viewer, in creating literariness in texts. An important theme in the book is what counts as literary creativity: what distinguishes some texts as works of literature while others are dismissed as ephemeral and of little lasting value?

In exploring creativity across a range of genres and social contexts, each course book introduces a variety of approaches to the study of creativity and artistry in spoken and written English, together with their related theoretical understandings.

The two books include contributions from key writers and researchers. Chapters consist of three or four readings and a teaching text that guides you through the readings and discusses ideas and issues relating to a particular aspect of creativity. The teaching text also supports your evaluation of academic evidence and arguments. We hope that you will take a critical approach to all your reading.

Please note that each course book chapter, plus the associated materials and activities, comprise Study Units.

A more detailed breakdown of the course, with an estimate of the number of study weeks for each unit, and the timing of assignments, is given below.

ENGL E300 has 23 Study Units: 18 chapters from the two course books and five units involving reading of the set books. In addition, it includes this Course Guide, two Study Guides, two CD-ROMs, an Assignment File and a Manual for Face-to-face Sessions. All these materials are provided to you, except the two set books which you need to purchase yourself.

Course Guide

This Course Guide tells you briefly what the course is about, what it contains, and how you can work your way through it. It also gives you information about tutors and face-to-face sessions, and assessment. Remember to refer to the Course Guide throughout the course to help clarify important points about studying ENGL E300.

Study Guides

The Study Guides provide notes on the course material, and help you to link your work on different parts of the course. They should be the starting point for your study of each unit.

CD-ROMs

The two CD-ROMs contain audio-visual material. These focus, respectively, on everyday and literary creativity. Audio-visual material plays an integral part in the study of creativity on ENGL E300: the CD- ROMs include examples of language use for you to analyse; and they also give you direct access to people talking about their own creative practices and to researchers discussing their work. The CD-ROMs cover a range of different contexts, topics and issues, such as: the potential evolutionary benefits of language play; everyday performance and identity; the internet and creativity; creative writing in prison; hip-hop and global Englishes; visual poetry; and the pleasure of reading. The CD- ROM material also illustrates a range of creative practices: bilingual puns; conversational narratives; children's pretend play; Edwardian postcards; the construction of graffiti art; cartoons and adverts; performances of contemporary poetry; extracts from Shakespeare; and storytelling. In combination, they illustrate the diverse forms taken by linguistic creativity, and the different ways this may be understood.

Set books

The two set books are:

Carter, R. (2016) Language and creativity: The art of common talk 2nd edn, London, Routledge

Ronald Carter is well known for his writing on English language and literature. In Language and creativity, he develops a line of thinking he has been pursuing recently – that creativity is a pervasive feature of everyday language, and that there are literary-like features in the most routine of conversations. Carter's argument is based on the analysis of many examples of creative language use, and derives particularly from his study of a five-million-word corpus of spoken language use. His ideas are addressed briefly in the first course book. This set book provides a more extended development of his argument and allows you to consider this critically and in greater depth.

Jeffries, L. and McIntyre, D. (2010) Stylistics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lesley Jeffries and Dan McIntyre are particularly known for their teaching and research in the field of literary stylistics. In this book, they look at what stylistics can tell us about literary texts and the way that they work. They set out the main tools that stylisticians use when approaching literary texts, with a large number of examples drawn from poetry, prose and dramatics texts, and consider the ways in which authors represent their characters, and how they may convey things like point of view in a narrative. You will find this set book useful as a way of understanding the linguistic 'nuts and bolts' of poetry, literary prose and drama.

Assignment File

The Assignment File provides an overview of the nature and requirements of the course assignments and guides you through them.

The course supports you through face-to-face tutorials, telephone tutoring, and the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Face-to-face and telephone tutoring

To supplement your self-study, there are 14 tutorials, each of two hours. In the tutorials, your tutor will answer questions about any problems you have faced during self-study and hold other activities, such as small- group discussions, to enhance your learning.

In addition, at the beginning of the semester, there will be a student orientation for new students.

More details about tutorials are provided on the OLE.

When you have any difficulties with your studies, you may also consult your tutor by telephone during the assigned time slots.

Online communication

You will have the opportunity for additional online communication — with your peers, tutors and the Course Coordinator — through the HKMU Online Learning Environment (OLE). The OLE provides interactive tools in the form of a discussion board, as well as hyperlinks to useful websites and other relevant resources.

The following strategies are recommended for working through the course.

1. Organise a study schedule. Refer to the course overview and to the Study Schedule provided by your Course Coordinator for more details. Note the number of weeks suggested for each unit and how the assignments relate to the units. Once you have decided on your own study schedule, do everything you can to stick to it. The major reason students fail is that they fall behind with their course work. If you get into difficulties with your schedule, please let your tutor know before it is too late to help you.
2. In working through each unit, you should:
   • Read the overview and the ‘learning points’.
   • Work through the unit, carrying out activities and studying the readings when asked to do so.
   • Review the ‘learning points’ as you finish working on a unit to confirm that you have achieved them.
3. After completing the whole course, review the materials and prepare for the examination.

ENGL E300 includes both continuous assessment and an examination. You must pass in both these components to gain a pass on the course.

Assignments

There are six assignments, of which Assignment 5 has a higher weighting (14% of the continuous assessment marks). Assignment 5 (14%) and the best four of Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 (9% each) will be counted.

The continuous assessment will account for 50% of the final course grade.

Examination

There is a three-hour examination at the end of the course which accounts for the other 50% of the final course grade.

We hope that you find the course interesting and that it helps you to consider your own experiences of creativity.

We wish you every success in your studies.

Guy Cook (reading author and audio-visual contributor)

Ruth Finnegan (reading author)

Julia Gillen (chapter author and audio-visual contributor)

Theresa Lillis (chapter author)

Anna Magyar (chapter author)

Alan Owen (Study Guide author)

Maria Thomas (reading author)

David Vincent (chapter and reading author)

External contributors

R. Amritavalli, Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad (audio-visual contributor)

Paul Baker, Lancaster University (reading author and audio-visual contributor)

Susan Bassnett. University of Warwick (audio-visual contributor)

Mary Bock, University of Cape Town (reading author)

Deborah Cameron, University of Oxford (audio-visual contributor)

Lynne Cameron, University of Leeds (reading author)

Harriet Carmichael, actor (audio-visual contributor)

Ronald Carter, University of Nottingham (audio-visual contributor)

Daniel Chandler, University of Aberystwyth (reading author)

Jennifer Coates, University of Surrey (audio-visual contributor)

David Crystal, Hon. Professor of Linguistics, University of Wales (audio- visual contributor)

Penelope Eckert, Stanford University (reading author and audio-visual contributor)

Angela Goddard, University of York (reading author) Anthea Fraser Gupta, University of Leeds (reading author)

Geoff Hall, University of Swansea (reading author)

lan Hutchby, Brunel University (audio-visual contributor)

Sharon Inkelas, University of Berkeley (reading author)

G. D. Jayalakshmi, freelance media consultant (audio-visual contributor)

Lesley Jeffries, University of Huddersfield (audio-visual contributor)

Margaretta Jolly, University of Exeter (reading author)

Valerie Laws, poet and creative writer (audio-visual contributor)

Nancy Macdonald, writer and freelance researcher (reading author)

Susan McRae, Kingston University (chapter author)

Uta Papen, Lancaster University (chapter author and reading author)

Michael Pearce, University of Sunderland (chapter author)

Alastair Pennycook, University of Technology, Sydney (audio-visual contributor)

Rob Pope, Oxford Brookes University (audio-visual contributor) Winifred Power (freelance editor)

Ben Rampton, Kings College, London (reading author and audio-visual contributor)

Elena Semino, Lancaster University (reading author and audio-visual contributor)

Mick Short, Lancaster University (audio-visual contributor) John Sterland, actor (audio-visual contributor)

Michael Toolan, University of Birmingham (chapter author)

Karin Tusting, Lancaster University (chapter author)

Joanna Thornborrow, University of Cardiff (chapter author)

S. Upendran, Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad (audio-visual contributor)

Anita Wilson, Lancaster University (reading author)

External assessor

Professor Ronald Carter, University of Nottingham

Critical readers

Professor Susan Bassnett, University of Warwick

Professor Ruth Finnegan, The Open University

Professor Rob Pope, Oxford Brookes University

Dr Suguna Ramanathan, formerly St Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, India

Dr Elena Semino, Lancaster University

Professor Katie Wales, University of Leeds

Xiao Junhong, Shantou Radio and TV University, Guangdong, China

Developmental testers

Heather Blackham

Ann Brumfit

Elspeth Graham

Liz Jackson

Marilyn Lee

Nicola McCutcheon

Diane Stevens

Vivienne Tresidder

Acknowledgements

Illustrations

Cover image: Stone/Getty Images.