Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Examines the relationship between language use and social structure. Considers how social factors such as gender, class, age, and ethnicity may be reflected in language use, as well as "big picture" topics that include multilingualism, dialect variation, language policy and linguistic stereotypes. Encourages students to think critically about the social dimensions of language. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course explores the social phenomenon of languages, which are constantly being changed by the people who use them (users) as they communicate meaning to one another (uses). This on-going process of modifying a language is evident when we think about how users change sounds, grammar, vocabulary, and phrasings over time (e.g., Shakespeare’s English vs. present-day English). In addition, every different group of language users adapts their code in their own way. For example, English as it is used in Vancouver is distinct from how it is used in New York City or London, England or Singapore or Hong Kong or New Delhi, India. Language varies across different (cultural) contexts, from speech community to speech community. Within each context, speakers use language in ways that reflect their own cultural identities, backgrounds, beliefs, practices, and values.

This course introduces the field of sociolinguistics, which examines the relationship between social factors, culture, and language. Students will reflect upon and think critically about their everyday life and language use here in Vancouver as we discuss the following topics:

• multilingualism in speech communities and the social reasons for language acquisition, language shift, language maintenance, language loss, and even language death;
• the existence of regional dialects (e.g., Canadian English, American English, Newfoundland English, Texas English, Indian English) and social (class) dialects (e.g., the Queen’s English vs. that of working-class Londoners);
• how language use can reflect aspects of our social identity, such as ethnicity (e.g., African American English and its global spread as the language of rap/hip hop), gender (how do men and women speak differently?), sexuality (how do we use language to communicate our sexual identity when we are attracted to someone?), and age (why do teenagers speak differently from adults?);
• the role of politeness in language use, and how this varies across cultures;
• variation in language (e.g., Canadian English “washroom” vs. American English “restroom”);
• the relationship between language and cognition (does a language and its vocabulary shape our understanding of the world around us?); and
• the important issues of discrimination and prejudice, as well as equity, diversity, and inclusion, with respect to the language(s) individuals and communities use.

A special topic will be that of World Englishes, which examines the international spread of English to speech communities around the globe. This phenomenon began with British Colonialism, initially in North America and the South Pacific, then in Asia and Africa. More recently, globalization and heightened transnational contact has inaugurated a third phase in the spread of English, to Europe, Latin America, and other parts of the world never subjected to (British) colonial rule.

MODE OF DELIVERY:
                                    Summer Session June 30 - Aug 8, 2025
                                   Face-to-face lectures in classroom, mp4 podcast lecture files available for download. 

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

PLATFORMS USED: Canvas  

TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED: Means for downloading and listening to mp4 podcast lecture files.

REQUIRED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: