Course Description and Outcomes

This course surveys the history of as well as current trends in sociolinguistics and emphasizes the practical applications of this research. Thus, in addition to introducing students to the nature of language and its role in society, we will examine how sociolinguistic research is conducted and applied both by looking at important historical and contemporary research and by carrying out our own field research. Topics will include ethnology, pragmatics, language variation, the acquisition of multiple languages, and the nature and politics of individual and societal multilingualism. Students will assist in presenting and preparing the Forum questions for the later seminar readings.

In general, the course has these outcomes for students to pursue:

1. Understand the fundamental principles of sociolinguistic theory, both contemporary and historical.
2. Analyze the connections between sociolinguistic theory and the practical teaching of language, including how social and political forces impact programs and approaches.
3. Become more familiar with the methodology of field research in sociolinguistics.

See MyHeritage for Detailed Course Objectives and Assessment Measures!