Unit information: Regional and Minority Languages in Europe in 2013/14

Unit name	Regional and Minority Languages in Europe
Unit code	MODLM2059
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Langer
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	none
Co-requisites	none
School/department	School of Modern Languages
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

In this unit, we will be examining case studies of regional and minority languages, e.g. Frisian, Welsh, Sami, Sorbian, and Low German in order to see how language is used to promote and retain a sense of national separateness or identity even though its speakers belong to the same political nationality/citizendhip as speakers of the surrounding majority language. We will be investigating aspects of language planning, i.e. to what extent a language is promoted or suppressed, language use, i.e. to what extent the language is actually a fully-functioning means of communication, and folk linguistic, i.e. the beliefs and associations speakers and non-speakers have about the value, prestige, and future of the language.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge and understanding of major strands of European thought, literature, history and culture
2. Knowledge and understanding of the commonalities and diversity of European culture, broadly defined
3. Students will be able to interpret and evaluate literary and other works and cultural/historical/intellectual trends
4. Students will be able to synthesise information from a variety of sources, evaluate competing interpretations and make reasoned academic judgements
5. Students will be able to compare the textual and other cultural products of different cultures, making fresh and imaginative connections between disparate material Students will be able to critically survey, analyse and interpret complex texts
6. Students will be able to communicate effectively and present a cogent and comprehensive argument, both orally and in writing
7. Students will be able to make appropriate use of information technology for research and presentation of work
8. Students will be able to undertake research using appropriate source materials
9. Students will be able to work independently and to deadlines, to an exacting scholarly level.

Teaching Information

2 hour weekly seminar

Assessment Information

1 x 5000 word essay

Reading and References

Auer, P. & L. Wei. 2007. The Handbook of Multilingualism and multilingual communication. De Gruyter

Matras, Y. 2010. Language Contact. CUP Weber, J.-J. & K. Horner. 2012. Multilingualism. Palgrave Macmillan

European Charter for Minority or Regional Languages http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/148.html