Sociolinguistics examines how language is meaningfully linked to social differences between people, be it in terms of their geographical origin, their social class, their age or their gender.  This module will provide students with the theoretical background necessary to understand aspects of current sociolinguistic research.  Through exercises and in-class discussions, students will focus particularly on the social factors (style, class, gender, age, and so on) involved in linguistic variation.  The module will also examine how linguistic variation can be better understood using models of social networks and communities of practice, and will consider aspects of new-dialect formation and the acquisition of variation by children and non-native speakers.

Knowledge

• identify and describe sociolinguistic variables
• define key terms like accent, dialect, koine, multilingualism, diglossia
• identify and describe social structures, categories and processes
• identify and describe a range of sociolinguistic methods and techniques

Understanding

• show awareness of socio-political issues involved in language variation
• show awareness of different sociolinguistic methods and their insights
• appreciate the role of language in social change and in social life generally

Skills

• describe and evaluate variable linguistic (including elementary phonetic) data
• analyse small sets of such data
• interpret and understand what is presented on a range of linguistic graphs, charts and tables
• build arguments in discussion, in academic writing or in small-scale research reports

Timetabled sessions include 2 lectures and 1 small-group seminar per week. During seminars, you may be required to make presentations and/or lead discussion. Lectures are usually supplemented with PowerPoint slides and handouts summarising content at a reasonable level of detail. These are usually made available on Learning Central at least 24 hours before the session. Audio and video are used in this module. Transcripts are provided where the audio or visual texts are analysed in detail or are a core element of the lecture/seminar.

The module focuses on variation in language and this raises awareness of diversity in the world and how to engage with that diversity. Skills of argumentation are developed in the essay and in the seminar debates. The work done here builds on Developing English (although there is no requirement to have taken this in first year) and has clear links with Language and Culture, Discourse, Language and Gender, Sounds of Speech, and a number of the other options at Years 2 and 3. It is also relevant to all the employability pathways.

The module is assessed by coursework (50%), take-home assessment (40%) and weekly seminar preparation tasks (10%).

The module is assessed according to the Assessment Criteria set out in the English Language Undergraduate Student Handbook. Otherwise, there are no academic or competence standards which limit the availability of adjustments or alternative assessments for students with disabilities.

The following syllabus is indicative only. This module will focus on ‘core’ aspects of sociolinguistics since several other modules focus on the relationship between language and culture (Language and Culture), gender (Language and Gender), age (Lifespan Communication) and politeness (Discourse, Language and Gender):

– Sociolinguistics: Origins, definitions and approaches

– Regional and social dialects

– Language change

– Ethnicity and social networks

– Language choice in multilingual communities

– Social networks and communities of practice

– Language attitudes

– New dialect formation

– Acquisition of variation (native and non-native)

– African American Vernacular English

The reading for this module will be a mix of chapters from a textbook (most likely Meyerhoff 2011, but this is subject to change) and material (book chapters and journal articles) available online. You will also be expected to read books and journal articles both in printed copy and online. You should contact the module leader as early as possible if you will require readings in an alternative format.