Abstract
Although contrastive studies do not enjoy great prestige among linguists, they have a very long tradition dating back to ca. 1000 A.D. when Ælfric wrote his Grammatica, a grammar of Latin and English. Even then he must have been aware of the fact that the knowledge of one language may be helpful in the process of learning another language (Krzeszowski 1990). Similarly, it seems that throughout the history of mankind teachers of a foreign language must have realized that a native and foreign tongue can be contrasted. However, contrastive linguistics only came into being as a science at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The first works were almost purely theoretical, and it is worth emphasizing that among the first scholars working in the field was Baudouin de Courtenay, a Polish linguist, who published his contrastive grammar of Polish, Russian and Old Church Slavonic in 1912. The outbreak of the Second World War was a milestone in the development of applied contrastive studies since a need to teach foreign languages in the United States arose as a result. The 1960’s is considered a further step in the development of contrastive grammar since a number of projects were initiated both in Europe and in the U.S.A. (Willim, Mańczak-Wohlfeld 1997), which resulted in the introduction of courses in English-Polish contrastive grammar at Polish universities. The aim of the present paper is to characterize and evaluate the courses offered in the English departments of selected Polish universities and to suggest an “ideal” syllabus.
Highlights
Contrastive studies do not enjoy great prestige among linguists, they have a very long tradition dating back to ca. 1000 A.D. when Ælfric wrote his Grammatica, a grammar of Latin and English
Contrastive linguistics only came into being as a science at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries
Unlike the above mentioned achievements the first works were almost purely theoretical it is worth emphasizing that among the first scholars working in the field was Baudouin de Courtenay, a Polish linguist, who published his contrastive grammar of Polish, Russian and Old Church Slavonic in 1912
Summary
I would like to start the present paper with a statement put forward by the late Professor Walerian Świeczkowski from the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. According to the Professor’s firm belief Polish linguists specializing in English should concentrate on English-Polish contrastive grammar since they are the only linguists who are able to contribute to this particular field of studies At the time this type of research was popular among Polish anglicists, a fact which does not mean that there is no interest in the field today and it goes without saying that the research should be reflected in the process of teaching. 1000 A.D. when Ælfric wrote his Grammatica, a grammar of Latin and English Even he must have been aware of the fact that the knowledge of one language may be helpful in the process of learning another (Krzeszowski 1990). Most of the material relating to teaching English-Polish contrastive grammar is taken from web pages (a list is provided in the References) or personal contacts, for which I would like to express my sincere gratitude
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