ZURn6601 An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Robert Helán, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Iveta Jansová, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 18:00–19:40 Studio 527
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! ZUR517 Sociolinguistics
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main objective of the course is to examine language as a social practice, focusing on different aspects of its role in social life. General topics addressed in the course include: language and identity, variation in language, multilingualism and language contact, new languages, language and culture, language and ideology, and language in education and in the media. Through the discussion of these topics and home assignments including reading and small research projects, students are introduced to key concepts, theories, and methods used in sociolinguistics.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Achieve an understanding of the themes, issues and debates important in the field of sociolinguistics.
- Explain how various social, cultural, and affective factors influence language and communication.
- Analyze, interpret and evaluate various written and spoken texts socio-linguistically. - Engage in discussions of the field’s key concepts.
- Develop and make use of important sociolinguistic terminology and concepts in students’ written and oral assignments.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction - The Scope of Sociolinguistics, Relationship between Language and Society, Sociolinguistics and the Sociology of Language, Ethnomethodology, Basic Methodological Concerns, Sociolinguistics and Related Disciplines
  • 2. Language, Dialects, and Varieties, Regional dialects, Social Dialects, Styles and Registers, Collecting and Analyzing Data
  • 3. Choosing a Code, Code Choice, Code - Switching, and Code-Mixing, Speech Communities, Variation Studies: Some Findings and Issues
  • 4. Language Change
  • 5. Language and Culture, Whorfian Hypothesis, Taboo and Euphemism
  • 6. Ethnography and Ethnomethodology, Varieties of Talk, Ethnography of Communication, Ethnomethodology
  • 7. Solidarity and Politeness 8. Acting and Conversing, Speech Acts: Austin and Searle, Cooperation and Face: Grice and Goffman, Some Features of Conversation
  • 9. Language and Gender
  • 10. Language and Disadvantage, Bernstein and Codes
  • 11. Basic Concepts in Pragmatics
  • 12. Language Planning
  • 13. Presentations of Project Work
Literature
  • WEATHERALL, Ann (2002) Gender, Language and Discourse. Routledge.
  • WARDHAUGH, Ronald and Janet M. FULLER. An introduction to sociolinguistics. Seventh edition. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2015, xii, 427. ISBN 9781118732298. info
  • MESTHRIE, Rajend. Introducing sociolinguistics. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2009, xxvi, 500. ISBN 9780748638444. info
  • The Routledge companion to sociolinguistics. Edited by Carmen Llamas Saíz - Louise Mullany - Peter Stockwell. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 2007, xix, 271. ISBN 9780415338509. info
  • DOWNES, William. Language and society. 2. ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, ix, 503. ISBN 0521456630. info
  • Sociolinguistic : a reader and coursebook. Edited by Adam Jaworski - Nikolas Coupland. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997, xi, 505. ISBN 0333611802. info
  • SCHIFFRIN, Deborah. Approaches to discourse. 1st publ. Oxford: Blackwell, 1994, x, 470. ISBN 063116622X. info
  • FAIRCLOUGH, Norman. Discourse and social change. Cambridge, MA: Polity Press, 1992, 259 p. ISBN 9780745612188. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, discussions, debates, student presentations, oral and written assignments, individual work, pair/group work, critical thinking, task-based learning, e-learning and interactive exercises.
Assessment methods
1. revision quizzes (2 or 3 during the semester)
2. home assignments (reading, e-learning)
3. team-presentations (in pairs or groups)
4. final written project (1,000 words)
5. attendance (one missed session is tolerated)
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2022/ZURn6601