School of English
Module manager: Dr Kerri-Anne Butcher
Email: K.A.Butcher@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
Experience in studying English Language(s) or Linguistics at university, or at least to A-Level or equivalent.
| ENGL2048 | Dialect Hunting |
ENGL32152
This module is not approved as a discovery module
TThis module explores some of the major themes in dialect research (dialectology), including the study of dialect variation across time and space, the formation of dialect regions, and the relationship between dialect, mobility, and language change. Students will learn how dialect researchers, past and present, have collected, mapped, and analysed dialect data, while also tracing the history and development of the field and its methods. Along the way, students will encounter a range of English dialects through classic and contemporary case studies that illustrate different approaches to dialect research, including the Survey of English Dialects, which is one of the most important projects in the history of English dialectology and was carried out by researchers at the University of Leeds. Beginning in the 1950s, and involving fieldwork carried out over more than a decade, the Survey was groundbreaking in its documentation of dialect variation across England, producing insights that continue to inform scholarship today. Its materials — including original notebooks, audio recordings, lexical, pronunciation and grammar maps, and drawings — are now preserved in the Brotherton Library’s Special Collections. Students will explore a range of dialect and cultural heritage materials and will also undertake their own piece of dialect research, joining the long and proud tradition of University of Leeds dialect hunters. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The module aims to familiarise students with major themes, methods, and case studies in English dialect research, including the extensive collections of dialect research held at the University of Leeds. It will consider the contexts, motivations, methodologies, and people that sit behind dialect research, and explore the archives, resources, and forms of evidence through which regional dialect variation and change has been studied. Students will have the opportunity to visit Special Collections to see the unique historical parts of the Leeds dialect collection up close. Students will be encouraged to develop a mini dialect project, undertaking their own dialect-hunting fieldwork, and will be invited to add their research to ongoing dialect scholarship at Leeds.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of research on the dialects and cultural heritage of England.
2. Critically evaluate primary research materials, past and present, making comparisons across time and place as appropriate.
3. Develop an independent mini dialect research project.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
4. Engage critically with complex debates.
5. Interpret and analyse research in the field.
6. Communicate ideas effectively in sophisticated speech and writing.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Fieldwork | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Lecture | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Practical | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 170 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Poster session with peer feedback, and further formative feedback in seminars
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Poster | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 17/08/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team