<p>I’m doing a minor in English, and English theory is optional. I’m trying to decide whether I should take it or not. Would you say it’s something eye-opening and interesting, or something one can do without?</p>
<p>What is English theory? linguistics?</p>
<p>Whether or not you’re minoring or majoring in English, I think English theory is a key course you should take if you want to know more about English. It’s like asking, “I want to learn more about food, but should I learn about table manners?” It’s not PERFECTLY essential to minoring in English, but I consider it important.</p>
<p>I’m planning to major in English, and honestly, I think English Theory is quite intriguing. I am especially looking forward to learning about the English syntactic theory.</p>
<p>Take the class for a week or so, if you’re not into it, you can always drop it before the last (penalty-free) drop date.</p>
<p>If you have any desire whatsoever to study English after college, you should take it. Theory plays a major role in contemporary scholarship.</p>
<p>Also, chingu and Awped-- literary and cultural theory is not the same as linguistics. I’ve taken 3 literary/cultural theory classes (taking #4 next semester), and we have never covered syntactic theory. We did, however, discuss syntax in a German linguistics class.</p>
<p>What do you do there? Learn how to filter a text to prove a specific viewpoint? (Sorry if my guess is ignorant.)</p>
<p>My short answer is that theory helps to answer questions about how literature affects/is affected by culture and the world around us. What social, psychological, or economic problems does literature present or subvert? It sounds like your class will be a general overview of many schools of theory.</p>