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Course details
Sociolinguistics (LASC10002)
Subject Area
Language Sciences
Pre-requisites
Visiting students should have at least 3 Linguistics/Language Sciences courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses.
Credits
20
Course level
SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate)
Course description
This course builds on the introductory work students have undertaken in sociolinguistics in pre-Honours courses. We focus on develop practical experience in deploying the skills and background knowledge needed for studying variation in language use and language attitudes that were laid down in Years 1 and 2. The empirical foundation laid down in Linguistics 2B is essential preparation for this course (see Course Prerequisites). Participants in this course will deepen their own experience as researchers and fieldworkers through the development of a corpus-based analysis of variation (on a variable of their choosing) that they will complete for their final project. Alongside the development of practical experience in studying variation, the course explores major aspects of the theory of language variation and change in more detail, such as: ! the importance of change over time in a community, ! the potential for change across an individual's lifespan, ! the relationship between social identities like gender or social class and variation in language use, ! how sociolinguistic methods inform the study of language contact and dialect levelling. There is an emphasis on collaborative learning strategies in this course. Students are expected to participate fully in discussions in the class, and present new material. Lectures are supplemented with in-class exercises and discussions, and course participants are encouraged to work on their final project in a small group. Readings, lectures and in-class exercises are supported by two writing exercises in which students are encouraged to relate academic work to their direct observations and experiences in the world. Assessment is by combination of: a take-home exam and a final project analysing a variable.
Timetable
View the timetable and assessment information for this course
Course delivered by
College of Humanities and Social Science
School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences
This article was published on Feb 24, 2012