ADVANCED SOCIOLINGUISTICS
- Arts
- 800 level
- 2 credit units
- 102 pages
- 12 units
This course explores advanced concepts in sociolinguistics, examining the intricate relationship between language and society. It delves into the origins of sociolinguistics, basic concepts, and various orientations within the field. The course also investigates the politics of linguistic differences, language variation, and change, including the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Furthermore, it examines global-scale sociolinguistics, focusing on contact linguistics, language planning, and policy, providing a comprehensive understanding of the social dimensions of language.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 52 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study, research
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of ENG856, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
ENG856 · UNIT 1
The study of language has been of interest to scholars from the Classical period and Roman period to modern day. Linguistic studies before the 1950s focused on what has come to be known as the ‘asocial’ view of language.
What you should be able to do
- Understand the fundamental concepts of sociolinguistics.
- Analyze language variation and change in different social contexts.
- Evaluate the impact of language policy on multilingual communities.
- Apply sociolinguistic theories to real-world scenarios.
- Critically assess the relationship between language and society.
What it prepares you for
- Linguist
- Language Policy Analyst
- Sociolinguist
- Translator
- Interpreter
- Education
- Government
- Media
- International Relations
- Linguistics Research
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: The Politics of Linguistic Differences and Domination
Unit 1 -Variability and Language Theory
The unit requires understanding of complex linguistic theories and their historical context, including the Saussurian paradox and Chomsky's competence vs. performance.
- Module 3: Language Variation and Change
Unit 3: Linguistic Determinism and Language Relativity: The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
The unit requires grasping abstract concepts of linguistic determinism and relativity, and their implications for how language shapes thought.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 52 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Background to Sociolinguistics
Unit 1: Background · 4 hours
Read Unit 1: Understand the origins of the asocial view of language.. Define sociolinguistics and its beginnings.. Explore the motivations for the development of sociolinguistics..
- Week 2Module 1: Background to Sociolinguistics
Unit 2: Basic Concepts in Sociolinguistics · 4 hours
Define and discuss basic terms in sociolinguistics.. Explain the social significance of sociolinguistic terminologies.. Explore the interconnections between Language, Culture, and Society..
- Week 3Module 1: Background to Sociolinguistics
Unit 3: Orientations in Sociolinguistics · 4 hours
Identify the major orientations in sociolinguistics.. Discuss the main focus of micro and macro sociolinguistics.. Explore new directions and subfields like Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis..
- Week 4Module 2: The Politics of Linguistic Differences and Domination
Unit 1 -Variability and Language Theory · 4 hours
Know the background to the variability concept in sociolinguistics.. Understand the nature and scope of the concept of variability.. Explain the connection between variability and language theory..
- Week 5Module 2: The Politics of Linguistic Differences and Domination
Unit 2: The Notion of the Speech Community · 4 hours
Understand the nature of the speech community.. Explain the importance of the speech community in sociolinguistic enquiry.. Distinguish between a speech community and a language community..
- Week 6Module 2: The Politics of Linguistic Differences and Domination
Unit 3: Language Differentiations Social Practice · 4 hours
Understand the concept of language differentiation.. Understand the different dimensions of language differentiation.. Explain the sociolinguistic dynamics of language differentiation..
- Week 7Module 2: The Politics of Linguistic Differences and Domination
Unit 4: Variety in English · 4 hours
Understand the concept of a language variety.. Discuss the various social dimensions of language varieties.. Explore formal, usage, and global varieties..
- Week 8Module 3: Language Variation and Change
Unit 1: Language Variation: Linguistic Dimensions · 4 hours
Understand the concept of language variation and change.. Explain the models of language variation.. Discuss types of variation in language..
- Week 9Module 3: Language Variation and Change
Unit 2: Language Variation: Social Dimensions · 4 hours
Understand the concept of language variation.. Explain factors responsible for language variation.. Discuss the diachronic/historical dimensions of language variation..
- Week 10Module 3: Language Variation and Change
Unit 3: Linguistic Determinism and Language Relativity: The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis · 4 hours
Understand the relationship between language and society.. Understand the principles of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.. Explain the connections between language relativity and linguistic determinism..
- Week 11Module 4: Global-Scale Sociolinguistics
Unit 1: Contact Linguistics · 4 hours
Understand the Contact Linguistics and its dynamics.. Understand the motivations for language contact.. Discuss the major consequences of language contact..
- Week 12Module 4: Global-Scale Sociolinguistics
Unit 2: Language Planning · 4 hours
Understand what language planning means.. Understand the motivation for language planning.. Understand how multilingualism works in modern society..
- Week 13Module 4: Global-Scale Sociolinguistics
Unit 3: Language Policy · 4 hours
Know what language policy is all about.. Understand the importance of language policy.. Explain the types of language policy..
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking key sociolinguistic theories from Modules 1-3.
- Focus on understanding the different types of language variation and their social implications (Units 2-4).
- Review case studies on language policy and planning from Module 4.
- Practice applying the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis to analyze real-world communication scenarios.
- Prepare detailed notes on key terms and concepts from each unit, focusing on definitions and examples.
Questions students ask about this course
What is ENG856 about?
This course explores advanced concepts in sociolinguistics, examining the intricate relationship between language and society. It delves into the origins of sociolinguistics, basic concepts, and various orientations within the field. The course also investigates the politics of linguistic differences, language variation, and change, including the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Furthermore, it examines global-scale sociolinguistics, focusing on contact linguistics, language planning, and policy, providing a comprehensive understanding of the social dimensions of language.
How many units does ENG856 have?
ENG856, ADVANCED SOCIOLINGUISTICS, has 12 units across 4 modules, over 102 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is ENG856?
ENG856 carries 2 credit units, at 800 level in Arts.
Is ENG856 hard?
ENG856 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, case study and research work.
How long does ENG856 take to study?
About 52 hours of study, spread across its 12 units.
How is ENG856 assessed?
ENG856 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with ENG856?
Linguist, Language Policy Analyst, Sociolinguist, Translator and Interpreter.