Course Overview
The purpose of this course is to understand the role language plays in
our day to day lives, how it shapes our world views and social relations,
ultimately influencing our human experiences. The relationship between
language and society is discussed through different theoretical means,
including but not limited to: anthropology, culture studies, philosophy
of mind, and social theory. We will draw upon structural aspects of
speech (such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics,
pragmatics, and discourse) and observe these in relation to language in
its social context.
I will teach the first 7 weeks of class core concepts in the study of sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology. The following weeks will cover case studies based on current topics of interest in sociolinguistics. These weeks will be covered by the students (details in found under “Assessment Descriptions”). Grading is based on preparation
and participation in class discussions.
Topics in Sociolinguistics 