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LING 320 Sociolinguistics 1 - McGill U. - Winter 2010 - Prof. C. Boberg

NB: McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and

consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the code of student conduct and

disciplinary procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information). Also note that, in accord with McGill

Universitys Charter of Students Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any

written work that is to be graded. Finally, note that, in the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the

Universitys control (e.g., an influenza pandemic), the content and/or evaluation scheme in this course is subject to

change.

Course Outline for Linguistics 320: Sociolinguistics 1

Theme: This course will provide you with an introduction to the study of LANGUAGE VARIATIONAND CHANGE, a subject that comprises three closely related disciplines: HISTORICAL

LINGUISTICS (the study of how languages change over time); DIALECTOLOGY (the study of

regional variation in language); and SOCIOLINGUISTICS (the study of the relationships betweenlanguage and society). While we will explore all of these subjects and the interactions amongthem, our main emphasis will be on Sociolinguistics, including both CORRELATIONAL

SOCIOLINGUISTICS (how social factors like age, sex and social class influence language) and

many topics in the SOCIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (the role of language in human behavior and

social organization). Included among the latter are situations of language contact (pidgins &creoles, multilingualism, etc.) and issues related to disciplines as diverse as anthropology,

education, gender & cultural studies, politics, social psychology and sociology. This course is a

prerequisite for all advanced courses in language variation and change: Sociolinguistics 2 (LING

520); Dialectology (LING 521); and Historical Linguistics (LING 425).

Note: Some of the topics we discuss in this class, such as the nature of sex or social classdifferences, the relation of language to disadvantage or the proper role of language planning, are

controversial, giving rise to strong views and emotions. In a spirit of scientific inquiry, whilemaintaining due respect for all individuals and groups, open debate on these topics will be

encouraged. If you do not feel comfortable discussing such issues, and perhaps challenging your

own views on them, you may prefer to take a different class. Also note that this class involves

conventional teaching methods, including traditional lectures supported by overheadtransparency projections and recorded audio samples as well as class discussion; it does not

include a web-based component. Regular attendance in class is therefore encouraged.

Time/Place: Tue/Thu, 10:05-11:25 a.m., in Birks 203 (room subject to change dep. on class size).

Instructor: Prof. Charles Boberg. Office: 1085 Dr. Penfield, #223. Tel.: (514) 398-4869. E-

mail: [email protected]. Office hours: Tues., 3:00-5:00, Weds., 2:00-5:00, or byappt.

Required textbook: Ronald Wardhaugh, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (6th ed.). Oxford:

Blackwell. Available at Paragraphe Bookstore (McGill College below Sherbrooke).

Prerequisite: LING 201 or permission of instructor. This should not be your first linguistics

class. While the emphasis in this class will be on the interaction of language and society

rather than on theoretical models of grammar, you will be expected to know basic concepts

of linguistic analysis such as are taught in an introductory course in general linguistics.


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Course Outline, LING 320 (Boberg)

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Evaluation: Midterm exam 20%

Term paper 30%Final exam (cumulative) 50%

Term paper: The term paper will be a paper of 10-15 pages (12-point font, double-spaced), in

which you either:

a) discuss and take a position on one of several suggested topics relating to the lecture

material (a list of which will be provided), with a critical review of at least five non-

internet articles or books on your topic, beyond introductory textbooks; or

b) report on your own investigation of linguistic variation and/or change, in which you

present and analyze data on one or more linguistic variables of your choice, from at least

two groups of subjects divided by age, region, sex or social class, with at least tenparticipants in each group.

Students choosing the first option may consult with the instructor about a topic not included inthe provided list of topics. Students choosing the second option mustconsult with the instructorabout the design of their research project, which could potentially serve as the pilot for an

expanded investigation of the same topic in Sociolinguistics 2 (LING 520) or Dialectology

(LING 521).

Tentative schedule of lectures, readings, assignments and exams: see next page.


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Course Outline, LING 320 (Boberg)

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Tentative schedule of lectures, readings, assignments and exams:

Date Day Lecture topic/Exam Readings due, etc.

01.05 Tu Introduction.

01.07 Th Introduction: variation and linguistic theory. Ch. 1

01.12 Tu Regional & social varieties; style; speechcommunities; networks. Ch. 2, 5

01.14 Th Dialectology: regional variation. Ch. 601.19 Tu Regional variation, continued.

01.21 Th Regional variation, continued.

01.26 Tu Linguistic variables; social variation.

01.28 Th Variation studies. Ch. 702.02 Tu Labov, Trudgill, Milroys, etc.

02.04 Th Historical linguistics. Ch. 8

02.09 Tu Historical linguistics, continued.

02.11 Th Language change in progress.

02.16 Tu Mechanism of language change; pre-Midtermreview.

02.18 Th MIDTERM EXAM MIDTERM EXAM

02.22-02.26

M-F No class: STUDY BREAK

03.02 Tu Language contact phenomena. Ch. 3

03.04 Th Pidgins & creoles.

03.09 Tu Review of midterm exam; Diglossia, bilingualism

& code-switching.

Ch. 4

03.11 Th Discussion: language choice in Montreal.

03.16 Tu Language & culture; ethnography of

communication

Ch. 9-10

TERM PAPERSDUE03.18 Th Solidarity & politeness; speech acts. Ch. 11-12

03.23 Tu Language & gender; language & disadvantage. Ch. 13-14

03.25 Th Discussion: language, gender & disadvantage.

03.30 Tu Language planning. Ch. 1504.01 Th Language planning in North America.

04.06 Tu Discussion: language planning in Quebec &

Canada.

04.08 Th Class cancelled: Instructor absent for conference04.13 Tu Pre-Final Exam review.

TBA FINAL EXAM FINAL EXAM

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