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Linguistics 661.01. Introduction to Sociolinguistics.Spring 2004. Winford

Office: Oxley 207. E-mail: hone : 292-0362 (Office).

Office Hours : Friday 2.00 - 3.30 pm or by appointment.

Course Description:

This is a graduate-level introduction to the study of language in its social context. The course will survey various approaches to this area of investigation, including the sociology of language, the ethnography of speaking, discourse analysis and quantitative sociolinguistics. We will consider the basic concepts and terminology used in all of these approaches and attempt to distinguish both the similarities and differences in their underlying assumptions, objectives and methods of analysis.

Objectives.

1.To provide students with a broad overview of the field of sociolinguistics and introduce them to various approaches to the study of language in its social context.

2.To introduce students to the basic methodologies employed in sociolinguistic enquiry, particularly in quantitative sociolinguistics and discourse analysis.

3.To provide a foundation for more advanced work in Sociolinguistics.

Texts: 1. Hudson, R.A. 1996. Sociolinguistics (2nd. edition)

2. Packet of readings available from Grade A notes (Packet).

3. Additional readings in closed reserve, Main Library (Library).

Requirements and Evaluation.

1. Five brief (roughly 2 pages, 3-page maximum) summaries of required readings, with critical evaluation and discussion of the questions that you think the paper raises. (See handout on guidelines).

TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SUMMARY.

The papers to be summarized must be chosen from five different weeks of the schedule. You may submit summaries of the papers read for the panel discussions as part of this requirement. (25% of final grade).

2. A preliminary report on the progress of the final research paper. A written version of this report ( roughly 4 pages) is to be handed in during week 5 (15% of final grade).

3. A final research paper which may be either a data-based research project, or a long essay (minimum 2000 words) on some central issue in any area of Sociolinguistics. Typed version to be submitted by Wednesday of exams week.

(See list of suggested topics in handout on guidelines). The research project may be done either as an individual or a group effort. In the latter case, each student must submit a separate research paper (40% of final grade).

4.Each student will participate in a panel discussion of one of the required readings (see reading packet). The readings are marked with an asterisk in the class schedule below. Students must choose a topic and reading by the end of week 2, and the first panel discussion will be held on Thursday of week 2 (10% of final grade).

5.Participation through attendance and contributions to class discussions etc. (10% of final grade)

Attendance.

Attendance at all classes is required (see 6 above). Unexplained absences may result in lowering of grades.

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

(All items are compulsory reading, which should be done before the relevant class. The articles will also form the basis of the panel discussions.

Most of the required readings are included in the reading packet. Four of these will be placed on closed reserve in the Main Library, as well as outside Oxley 222 in the Dept. of Linguistics.

Week 1: (a)Overview of Sociolinguistics; Basic concepts; the speech community.

Hudson, Chap. 1.

Hymes, Dell. 1974. The scope of sociolinguistics (Packet).

(b)Language and language varieties; "Language" and "dialect."

Hudson, Chap. 2, pages 20-49.

Rickford "Regional and social variation" (library)

Week 2.(a)Style and register. Language repertoires.

Hudson, Chap. 2, pages 49-59.

(b)Pidgins and creoles.

Hudson, Chapter 2, pp. 59-69.

Rickford & McWhorter. "Language contact…" (Packet).

First summary due.

Week 3: (a)Ethnography of Speaking; Components of speech;

Saville-Troike "The ethnography of communication" (Packet)

(b)Situations and language choice; Code switching. Diglossia.

Auer "The pragmatics of code switching' (Packet)

Second summary due.

Week 4:(a) Language and social identity

Hudson, Chap. 4, pp. 120 – 122.

(b)Gender and ethnicity.

Eckert, "The whole woman". (Packet).

Ogbu "Beyond language: Ebonics etc" (Packet).

Third summary due.

Week 5.(a) Language variation and social differentiation

Structuralism and Dialectology; The quantitative paradigm;

Hudson, Chap. 5.

(b)Linguistic variables. Social correlates of variation.

The Labovian notion of the speech community.

Downes. “Rhoticity” (Library)

Preliminary Research Paper report due no later than Thursday of week 5.

Week 6(a)Language variation as social practice

Language and social networks.

Hudson Chap. 7, pp. 228 – 243.

Milroy and Milroy "Social network and social class" (Packet)

(b)The social psychology of language choice Style as accommodation

Street & Giles "Speech accommodation theory" (Library).

Week 7.Language and interpersonal relationships; Power and Solidarity.

Hudson Text, Chap. 4, pp 122 – 131.

Agha "Stereotypes and registers…" (Library)

Language attitudes.

Fourth summary due.

Week 8(a)Language and social interaction. Discourse analysis.

Hudson, pp 132 – 143.

(b)The structure of conversation.

Schiffrin, D. "Conversational analysis" (Packet)

Fifth summary due.

Week 9.(a)Discourse analysis, continued. Speech acts.

Searle, John. "Indirect speech acts" (Packet)

(b)Meaning and conversation.

Grice, P. "Logic and conversation" (Packet)

Week 10: (a) Unfinished business.

Summary and conclusions;

(b)Class presentations of research findings.

Course evaluations.

Final Research Paper due Wednesday of exams week.