Master 2020/2021

Sociolinguistics

Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'

Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'

Type: Elective course (Linguistic Theory and Language Description)

Area of studies: Fundamental and Applied Linguistics

Delivered by: School of Linguistics

Where: Faculty of Humanities

When: 2 year, 1, 2 module

Mode of studies: offline

Instructors: Коношенко Мария Борисовна, Andrian Vlakhov

Master’s programme: Linguistic Theory and Language Description

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 32

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Students enrolled in this course deal with the issues of social interaction, social variation of speech and cultural anthropology. Students are supposed to get acquainted with variational studies (speech variation induced by various social factors), macrosociolinguistics (description of language situation and language policy) and microsociolinguistics (interpersonal communication and interactionist studies). An emphasis is put on research methods that students get acquainted with through fieldwork.

Learning Objectives

• The general objective of this course is to introduce the students to the main topics of sociolinguistics. They should be able to analyze sociolinguistics processes from both linguistic and sociological points of view. The students are supposed to learn theoretical models of sociolinguistics as well as general models of sociolinguistic and socio-anthropological analysis.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Analyze sociolinguistics processes from both linguistic and sociological points of view.
• Know theoretical models of sociolinguistics as well as general models of sociolinguistic and socio-anthropological analysis.
• Know the aims and the structure of the course.
• Have skills of sociolinguistic fieldwork.
• Have skills of sociological and socioanthropological analysis of language.
• Are proficient in social processes that involve language.

Course Contents

• Introductory lecture.
  The aims and the structure of the course.
• Sociolinguistics today.
  The lecture introduces the students to the areas and specifics of sociolinguistic research as well as to the discipline’s history. Main concepts of the field are introduced.
• Variational studies.
  This part introduces students to the classical studies of language variation and change in the footsteps of William Labov.
• Macrosociolinguistics.
  This part introduces students to the concepts such as language situation and language policy as well as to their description methods.
• Microsociolinguistics.
  This part introduces students to the interactionist studies and discourse analysis.
• Research methods.
  In the class, students are introduced to various quantitative and qualitative methods used in sociolinguistics and anthropology. During self-preparation, students are required to practice those methods on their own and present their research outcomes in the class.

Assessment Elements

• homework
  Grading is based on the results of the fieldwork assignments (submitted after each part of the course). Each section of the course is graded separately. The final grade calculated as the simple sum of the grades in each section. Fieldwork assignments make up to 50% of the final grade.
• homework
  Grading is based on the results of the fieldwork assignments (submitted after each part of the course). Each section of the course is graded separately. The final grade calculated as the simple sum of the grades in each section. Fieldwork assignments make up to 50% of the final grade.
• homework
  Grading is based on the results of the fieldwork assignments (submitted after each part of the course). Each section of the course is graded separately. The final grade calculated as the simple sum of the grades in each section. Fieldwork assignments make up to 50% of the final grade.
• homework
  Grading is based on the results of the fieldwork assignments (submitted after each part of the course). Each section of the course is graded separately. The final grade calculated as the simple sum of the grades in each section. Fieldwork assignments make up to 50% of the final grade.
• exam
  Students present their research projects as final examination. Project topics are to be approved by the instructor mid-course. Project presentations make up to 50% of the final grade.
• homework
  Grading is based on the results of the fieldwork assignments (submitted after each part of the course). Each section of the course is graded separately. The final grade calculated as the simple sum of the grades in each section. Fieldwork assignments make up to 50% of the final grade.

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (2 module)
  0.5 * exam + 0.1 * homework + 0.1 * homework + 0.1 * homework + 0.1 * homework + 0.1 * homework

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• The Cambridge Handbook of Sociolinguistics, edited by Rajend Mesthrie, Cambridge University Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=803144.
• Социолингвистика и социология языка : хрестоматия, , 2012

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Smakman, D., & Heinrich, P. (2018). Urban Sociolinguistics : The City As a Linguistic Process and Experience (Vol. First edition). Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=1585404