| Unit name | Sociolinguistic Anthropology: Language, Culture, and Society |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODL30016 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. James Hawkey |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
MODL23013 is recommended |
| Co-requisites |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Sociolinguistics examines how language is used in (and can be reflective of) society. Anthropological linguistics studies the relation between language and culture, and how language is a lens on diverse social worldviews. In this unit, co-taught by researchers in Modern Languages and Anthropology, students will gain an interdisciplinary perspective on the social usage and meaning of language.
Beginning with a solid grounding in sociolinguistics, the unit will cover topics such as ethnicity; sexuality; language diversity, language change, endangerment, and death; multilingualism; linguistic relativism; and the relationship between language, culture, and cognition.
AIMS
Students will gain an understanding of
- The similarities and differences between sociolinguistic and anthropological linguistic perspectives. - The challenges of interdisciplinary research on language, culture and society. - The importance of language in human social behaviour and interaction, and be able to describe how language is used by speakers in establishing group and individual identities of ethnicity, gender, class, and power. - The scope and importance of language diversity and how it is theorised to relate to culture and cognition, particularly in the domain of meaning.The relationship between quantitative empirical research on language variation and change and an understanding of how speakers situate themselves socially.
At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:
a) Demonstrate in-depth familiarity with the discipline of sociolinguistics, by describing influential theories of how language is used by speakers in establishing group and individual identities
b) Deploy new theoretical tools, which will allow for the in-depth study of language variation and change at both speaker and group level.
c) Demonstrate advanced knowledge of one or more speech communities where their target language of study/language of interest is spoken.
d) Articulate with reference to empirical work the differences and commonalities between socio- and anthropological-linguistic approaches.
e) Appraise the implications of language diversity for our understanding of human culture and cognition, particularly in semantics.
f) Learn to apply their new theoretical knowledge to different linguistic situations, and will have carried out independent critical analyses, in order to arrive at their own informed viewpoint.
g) Become skilled in the selection, synthesis, evaluation and analysis of relevant topic-based material, appropriate to level H.
1 x 1 hour weekly lecture + one 1-hour revision session
1 x 1 hour weekly seminar.
e-learning: Wiki entries by students
Summative assessment:
1) A 2-hour exam (50%). Assesses ILOs (b), (d), (f) and (g).
2) A 3000 word written assignment (50%). Assesses ILOs (a), (b), (c), (e) and (g).
Formative assessment:
3) Three short paper summaries on class Wiki. Assesses ILOs (b), (f), and (g).
