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ENG355Arts3 Unitsintermediate

Introduction To Sociolinguistics

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of sociolinguistics. It explores the relationship between language and society, examining language variation and its social determinants. The course covers topics such as speech communities, speech acts, dialects, code-switching, and the influence of social factors like class, gender, and ethnicity on language use. Students will gain insights into language ideologies and the sociolinguistic dynamics within the Nigerian context.

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150h

Study Time

13

Weeks

12h

Per Week

none

Math Level

Course Keywords

SociolinguisticsLanguage VariationSpeech CommunitiesCode-SwitchingNigerian English

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level

Builds on foundational knowledge

65%

intermediate

📚

Math Level

No Math

📖

Learning Type

Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Basic Concepts in Sociolinguistics

2

Language Use in Society

3

Language Variation in Society

4

Language Forms in Society

5

Language and Sociolinguistic Determinants

6

Pidgins and Creoles

7

Standard Usage

8

Language and Social Class

9

Language and Gender

10

Language and Identity

11

Language and Culture

Total Topics11 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Tutor-Marked Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Final Examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Linguist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Language Teacher

Apply your skills in this growing field

Translator

Apply your skills in this growing field

Communication Specialist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Social Worker

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

EducationMediaGovernmentInternational RelationsSocial Services

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week

1

Module 1: Basic Concepts in Sociolinguistics

4h

Unit 1: What is Sociolinguistics?

2 study hours

•Read the unit introduction to understand the scope of sociolinguistics.
•Examine various definitions of sociolinguistics and identify common themes.
•Discuss the applications of sociolinguistics in understanding language use.

Unit 2: Sociolinguistics and Language Variation

2 study hours

•Explore the relationship between sociology and linguistics.
•Identify social variables that influence language use.
•Reflect on the social function of language and its impact on society.

Week

2

Module 1: Basic Concepts in Sociolinguistics

4h

Unit 3: Language in society

2 study hours

•Analyze Halliday's Ideational, Interpersonal, and Textual functions.
•Discuss the role of speakers in selecting language options based on social contingencies.
•Examine how language choices reflect the speaker's assessment of the environment.

Unit 4: General Rules and Individual Use

2 study hours

•Compare and contrast Saussure's 'langue' and 'parole' with Chomsky's 'competence' and 'performance'.
•Discuss the implications of these theories for sociolinguistic studies.
•Reflect on the importance of societal needs in individual language use.

Week

3

Module 2: Language Use in Society

4h

Unit 5: Sociolinguistic Differences

2 study hours

•Identify factors influencing language use: social class, context, origins, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age.
•Discuss how these factors lead to sociolinguistic differences.
•Analyze the impact of these differences on language interpretation.

Unit 1: Speech Communities

2 study hours

•Define 'speech community' and its role in linguistic analysis.
•Examine the characteristics of speech communities.
•Discuss the importance of social networks in understanding language use.

Week

4

Module 2: Language Use in Society

5h

Unit 2: Speech Acts and Speech Events

3 study hours

•Explain Austin's speech act theory: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts.
•Discuss Searle's perspective on speech acts and their role in communication.
•Analyze the components of speech events: setting, participants, ends, act sequences, key, instrumentalities, norms, genre.

Unit 3: Dialects, Idiolects, Sociolects

2 study hours

•Define dialects, idiolects, and sociolects.
•Discuss the characteristics of each 'lect' and their relevance in sociolinguistics.
•Identify the factors that contribute to the development of different language varieties.

Week

5

Module 2: Language Use in Society

5h

Unit 4: Code Mixing and Code Switching

3 study hours

•Differentiate between code-switching and code-mixing.
•Identify the motivations for code-switching and code-mixing.
•Discuss the syntactic and social constraints on code-switching.

Unit 5: Register, Style and Usage

2 study hours

•Define register, style, and usage in sociolinguistics.
•Discuss the factors that influence the choice of register and style.
•Analyze the relationship between language use and social context.

Week

6

Module 3: Language Variation in Society

5h

Unit 1: Pidgins and Pidginisation

3 study hours

•Define pidgins and pidginization.
•Discuss the development and characteristics of pidgin languages.
•Analyze the social and linguistic factors that contribute to pidgin formation.

Unit 2: Creoles and Creolization

2 study hours

•Define creoles and creolization.
•Discuss the development and characteristics of creole languages.
•Analyze the social and linguistic factors that contribute to creole formation.

Week

7

Module 3: Language Variation in Society

4h

Unit 3: Concept of Standard Usage

2 study hours

•Define the concept of standard usage in language.
•Discuss the characteristics of standard languages.
•Analyze the social and political factors that influence the development of standard languages.

Unit 4: Slang and Clichés in Sociolinguistics

2 study hours

•Define slang and clichés in sociolinguistics.
•Discuss the functions of slang and clichés in communication.
•Analyze the social and cultural factors that influence the use of slang and clichés.

Week

8

Module 3: Language Variation in Society

3h

Unit 5: Taboos and Profane Usage

3 study hours

•Define taboos and profane usage in language.
•Discuss the social and cultural factors that influence the use of taboos and profane language.
•Analyze the functions of taboos and profane language in communication.

Week

9

Module 4: Language Forms in Society

4h

Unit 1: Language and Class

2 study hours

•Discuss the relationship between language and social class.
•Analyze the linguistic features that are associated with different social classes.
•Examine the social and cultural factors that influence language use in different social classes.

Unit 2: Monolingualism and Bilingualism

2 study hours

•Define monolingualism and bilingualism.
•Discuss the cognitive and social benefits of bilingualism.
•Analyze the factors that influence language acquisition and language maintenance.

Week

10

Module 4: Language Forms in Society

4h

Unit 3: Language Contact and Multilingualism

2 study hours

•Define language contact and multilingualism.
•Discuss the social and linguistic consequences of language contact.
•Analyze the factors that influence language shift and language maintenance.

Unit 4: Diglossia and Polyglottism

2 study hours

•Define diglossia and polyglottism.
•Discuss the social and linguistic consequences of diglossia and polyglottism.
•Analyze the factors that influence language choice in diglossic and polyglottic communities.

Week

11

Module 4: Language Forms in Society

3h

Unit 5: Language Use in Interaction

3 study hours

•Discuss the role of language in social interaction.
•Analyze the linguistic strategies that people use to manage social relationships.
•Examine the relationship between language, power, and solidarity.

Week

12

Module 5: Language and Sociolinguistic Determinants

5h

Unit 1: Language Ideology

3 study hours

•Define language ideology.
•Discuss the social and political consequences of language ideologies.
•Analyze the factors that influence the development and maintenance of language ideologies.

Unit 2: Language and Geography

2 study hours

•Discuss the relationship between language and geography.
•Analyze the factors that influence the geographic distribution of languages.
•Examine the social and cultural consequences of language contact and language shift.

Week

13

Module 5: Language and Sociolinguistic Determinants

3h

Unit 3: Language and Gender

3 study hours

•Discuss the relationship between language and gender.
•Analyze the linguistic differences between men and women.
•Examine the social and cultural factors that influence language use by men and women.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

Access PDF Material

Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Review all module introductions to grasp overarching themes.

2

Create detailed outlines for each unit, focusing on key terms and concepts.

3

Practice applying sociolinguistic theories to real-world examples, especially those related to Nigeria.

4

Form study groups to discuss complex topics and share insights.

5

Pay close attention to the definitions and distinctions between related concepts (e.g., code-switching vs. code-mixing, diglossia vs. bilingualism).

6

Focus on understanding the social and cultural factors that influence language use in different contexts.

7

Prepare examples from the course material to illustrate key concepts during the exam.

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