Language Contact and Language Variation

2023/2024

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

School of Foreign Languages

Course type:

Elective course

When:

2 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Gridneva, Ekaterina

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course examines the basic concepts of sociolinguistics such as language contact and language variation. Students will focus on the variables and variants in our speech, study the regional dialectology in terms of mapping speakers and places. What is more, this course investigates the issues of standards, norms, alternations from the norms, and their consequences. We will also discuss speakers' style which was illustrated in the New York City social dialect survey. Apart from the sphere of variation in language, this course is devoted to language contact. Students will be able to examine the outcome of the process of language contact such as borrowings (on the example of English) and creation of a new language (Pidgins, Creoles and Mixed languages). By the end of this course students will have an opportunity to carry out their own research in the fields of language contact and variation.

Learning Objectives

• To give an overview of the basic concepts of sociolinguistics such as language contact and language variation.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Students will focus on the basic concepts of sociolinguistics such as language contact and language variation. By the end of this course students will have an opportunity to carry out their own research in the fields of language contact and variation.

Course Contents

• Language contact and language variation.

Assessment Elements

• Independent work
  Independent work includes activities that students do at home, activities that students do in the classroom
• Written assessment
  2 tests (one for each module)
• Oral assessment
  Two presentation per each module
• Final assessment

Interim Assessment

• 2023/2024 2nd module
  0.3 * Final assessment + 0.3 * Independent work + 0.2 * Oral assessment + 0.2 * Written assessment

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• An introduction to sociolinguistics, Holmes, J., 2017
• Language contact, Matras, Y., 2009
• What is sociolinguistics?, Herk van, G., 2012

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• The handbook of language contact, , 2013
• The Oxford handbook of language contact, , 2019

Authors

• Bogolepova Svetlana Viktorovna
• GRIDNEVA EKATERINA MIKHAYLOVNA