Sociolinguistics
Code: 106312 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2504212 English Studies | OT | 3 | 0 |
| 2504212 English Studies | OT | 4 | 0 |
Contact
- Name:
- Melissa Moyer Greer
- Email:
- melissa.moyer@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Prerequisites
- Students enrolling for this course should be interested in exploring the use and sociocultural practices of English from a practical perspective. Active participation is required in face-to-face sessions and in group activities.
- A C2 level of proficiency in English as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment is requiered.
- A more detailed syllabus will be distributed at the beginning of the course with a detailed schedule of activities and readings.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The goals of English Sociolinguistics are to familiarize students with language variation from a quantitative labovian perspective and with lingistic practices from a qualitative ethnographic approach related to English language from a synchronic viewpoint. The content of this course is meant to complement other courses students in English Philology degree program have taken where English is treated as a fixed or standard system. A practical approach to the subject is adopted. Students will have a chance to gain some experience with collecting sociolinguistic data and and applying theoretical and conceptual knowledge presented in the course to real life communicative situations and also to gain an understanding of the ways social inequality and exclusion get (re)produced through language.
Competences
- English Studies
- Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
- Apply the concepts, resources and methods acquired to the study of the English language in a global and multilingual social context of language learning and teaching.
- Demonstrate skills to work autonomously and in teams to fulfil the planned objectives.
- Distinguish and contrast the distinct paradigms and methodologies applied to the study of English.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Understand and produce written and spoken academic texts in English at advanced higher-proficient-user level (C2).
- Use written and spoken English for academic and professional purposes, related to the study of linguistics, the philosophy of language, history, English culture and literature.
Learning Outcomes
- Actively reflect on the ethical dilemmas of sociolinguistic research.
- Apply the knowledge acquired to the solution of contemporary socio-linguistic problems.
- Express oneself in English, orally and in writing, in an academic register and using appropriate terminology in relation to the study of English as a language of global scope, linguistic variation and, in general, the social uses of language.
- Identify and analyse—from a critical point of view—the existing models and concepts to conceptualise the rise and use of English as a lingua franca in global communication.
- Identify and understand different sociocultural approaches and their methodologies for the study of the English language.
- Incorporate ideas and concepts from published sources into work, citing and referencing appropriately.
- Organise academic work effectively.
- Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
- Produce written and oral academic texts at higher-proficient-user level (C2) on the concepts and skills relevant to the study of sociolinguistics, multilingualism and varieties of English.
- Understand specialised academic texts on research into the use/learning of English in multilingual contexts, linguistic variation and change, sociolinguistics and language policy.
Content
1. A conceptual approach to Sociolinguistics
2. Quantitative sociolinguistics: variation in the system
3. Variables of language, social class, ethnicity, and style
4. Qualitative sociolinguistics: language as social action
5. Language and culture
6. Language ideologies and stance
7. Language and identity
8. Language and gender from a qualitative perspective
9. Language and the economy. The role of English
10. Multilingual societies
Methodology
The teaching methodology is based on: 1 ECTS credit = 25 teaching hours x 6 credits = 150 hores
Directed activities (up to 25%)
Supervised activities (up to 15%)
Autonomous activities (minimum 50%)
Assessment activities ( up to 10%)
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Correction and discussion of practical exercises | 10 | 0.4 | |
| Presentation of theoretical notions and concepts | 12 | 0.48 | |
| To take a critical perspective to class debates and readings | 8 | 0.32 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Individual assignment and exercises | 30 | 1.2 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Group exercises | 10 | 0.4 | |
| Readings and individual study | 10 | 0.4 | |
| Weekly individual assignments | 28 | 1.12 |
Assessment
50 % of the final mark will be calculated by of 2 exams (25% each) for each part of the syllabus (quantitative sociolinguistics and qualitative sociolinguistic).
30 % of the final grade will come from the completion of individual work that students will complete outside the classroom.
15 % of the final grade will come from group and individual exercises based on examples and questions related to readings, and presentations.
5 % will come from active participation in class
Students will receive a “Not assessed/Not submitted” course grade if less than 30% of assessments items have been submitted.
IMPORTANT: The two EXAMS, the individual assignment in the class are COMPULSORY.
The two EXAMS must be passed (with a minimum grade of a 5 out of 10) in order to successfully complete the subject.
Re-assessment. The re-assessment of this subject will be done through a synthesis exam including the two parts of the subject (the individual assignment cannot be recuperated) with the following conditions:
- Students must have submitted a minimum of two thirds of the items to be evaluated.
- Students must have passed 50% of the items that can be evaluated in the subject in order to be eligible for the re-assessment exam.
- Students must have obtained an average grade of 3,5 or more. The maximum grade that can be obtained in the re-assessment exam is a 5.
The level of English will be taken into account in the correction of written work and in the final evaluation. If a student shows a level lower than C2, a reduction of score point up to 40% will be applied to each assignment being assessed.
Students will be able to review assessment tasks and activities. The review procedure and the dates will be made public in Moodle.
VERY IMPORTANT: Total or partialplagiarism of any of the exercises will automaticallybe considered a FAIL grade for the plagiarized exercise. If plagiarism is repeated, the whole course will be FAILED. PLAGIARISM involves copying text fromunidentified sources, whether it is a single phrase or more, that is presented as one’s own work (THIS INCLUDES COPYING PHRASES OR INTERNET FRAGMENTS AND ADDED WITHOUT MODIFICATIONS TO THE TEXT THAT IS PRESENTED AS YOUR OWN ), and it is a serious offense. It is necessary to learn to respect the intellectual property of others and to identify always sources that can be used, and it is imperative to be held accountable for the originality and authenticity of the text itself.
In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
SINGLE ASSESSMENT
It is possible to request a single assessment for this subject. For more information you can access the link: https://www.uab.cat/web/estudis/grau/informacio-academica/avavaluacio/avavaluacio-unica-1345885008033.html
Single assessment consists of:
· Two exams 40% (2 x 20%)
· An assignment related to the course content 30%
· Five exercises carried out during the course 30%
· The same system for recuperating course content will be applied as for those students opting for continuous assessment.
Revision ofthe final grade follows the same procedure as for students enrolled for continuous assessment
You must keep in mind the dates stipulated by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities to request this form of assessment.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active participation in class | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | 10, 3, 4, 8, 9 |
| Exercises, presentations and homework (throughout the term) | 20% | 16 | 0.64 | 2, 6, 8, 1 |
| Final exam (end of semester) | 25% | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 10, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 |
| Individual assignment (beginning of June 2023) | 20% | 19 | 0.76 | 2, 10, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 |
| Midterm exam (mid October) | 25% | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 10, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
Bibliography
The readings listed below provide additional information and examples on the topics that are covered in the course.
Aquestes lectures son llibres introductoris a l'area de sociolinguistica anglesa i proporcionen a l'alumnat informació i contingut addicional i exemples dels temes tractats durant el cur.
Ahearn, Laura M. 2012. Living Langauge. An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell. UAB Library online resource: https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2080302__Sahearn%2C%20laura__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=cat&suite=def
Bayley, Robert, Richard Cameron, and Ceil Lucas (eds.). 2013. The Oxford Handbook of Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bell, Alan. 2014. The Guidebook to Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.
Blommaert, Jan. 2005. Discourse. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. UAB library online resource:https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1747595__Sblommaert%20Discourse__Orightresult__U__X2?lang=cat&suite=def
Bonvillain, Nancy. 2008. Language Culture and Communication. The Meaning of Messages. London: Pearson Education. UAB online library resource https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1963179__Sbonvillain__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=cat&suite=def
Coupland, Nikolas and Jaworski, Adam. 2009. The New Sociolinguistics Reader. New York: Palgrave. UAB online library resource https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1963192__Scoupland%20and%20jaworski__Orightresult__U__X2?lang=cat&suite=def
Coupland, Nikolas, Srikant Sarangi and Christopher N. Candlin (eds.). 2001. Sociolinguistics and Social Theory. London: Pearson Longman. UAB online library resource https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1622682__Scoupland%2C%20sarangi%20and%20candlin__Orightresult__U__X2?lang=cat&suite=def
Coupland, Nikolas. 2007. Style. Language Variation and Identity. Cambridge: CUP. UAB online library resource https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1802570__SCoupland%2C%20Nikolas.%202007.%20__Orightresult__U__X1?lang=cat&suite=def
Duranti, Alessandro. 1997. Linguistic Anthropology. Cambridge: CUP.
Fasold, Ralph. 1990. Sociolinguistics of Language. Oxford: Blackwell.
Gay y Blasco, Paloma and Wardle, Huon2007. How to Read Ethnography. London: Routledge.
Heller, Monica. 2007. Bilingualism. A Social Approach. London: Palgrave.
Hill, Jane. 2008. The Everyday Language of White Racism. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Holmes, Janet and Meyerhoff, Miriam. 2003. Language and gender. Oxford: Blackwell.
Lippi‐Green, Rosina. 1997. English with an accent. London: Routledge.
Mesthrie, Rajend, Joan Swann, Ana Deumert, & William L. Leap (eds.). 2000. Introducing Sociolinguistics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Meyerhoff, Miriam. 2006. Introducing Sociolinguistics. London: Routledge.
Milroy, Lesley and Gordon, Matthew. 2003. Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Romaine, Suzanne. 1994. Language in Society. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Oxford: OUP.
Saville‐Troike, Muriel. 1982. The Ethnography of Communication. Oxford:Blackwell.
Wardhaugh, Ronald and Fuller, Janet M. 2015. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Blackwell. UAB online resource: https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2094240__Swardhaugh__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=cat&suite=def
Wolfram, Walt and Natalie Schilling‐Estes. 1998. American English. Oxford: Blackwell.
Software
No specific software will be used.