LINGUISTICS 448 (SOCIOLINGUISTICS
GUIDELINES FOR ANALYSIS OF VISUAL SOURCE
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CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE SOURCE (be sure to get my approval before proceeding with the
analysis). This can be a film (DVD, VHS or 16 mm), a recording of a television
program, or an audio recording in which spoken language is used. Be sure to give a
complete bibliographical citation, including author or artist, director, title, version, date,
and publisher. The following type of sources (and ONLY these) can be used:
1. Fiction: a film or spoken recording. This can include full-length films, short films,
television programs (situation comedies, soap operas, feature series, etc).
2. An advertisement (from film, television or radio) in which spoken language is used
predominantly.
3. A non-fiction documentary in which issues of language in society arise.
4. Poetry or chanted or CLEARLY sung music in which sociolinguistic issues can be
clearly detected and studied. This is probably the most difficult category in which to
find appropriate materials.
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GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE NATURE OF THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC SITUATION TO BE
ANALYZED. These MUST come from the following list of possibilities:
1. Use of ethnic languages and/or ethnic dialects, including code-switching. Examples
would be the Qué pasa USA Cuban-American situation comedy, the Culture Clash
films, the Godfather films, the use of Sephardic Spanish in Every time we say goodbye
2. EXPLICIT comments on a social or ethnic variety of language, either by members of
the same group or by members of other speech communities.
3. EXPLICIT comments on stereotypical male, female (and/or gay, lesbian, transgender) speech, or a dialogue or encounter in which contrasting linguistic stereotypes
occur among the participants in a form clear enough to be analyzed.
4. Discussion (fictional or non-fictional) of aspects of language planning. This could
include the “English-only” or “official English” movements, attempts to control who
uses what language, style, or register, This could include non-existent languages
(e.g. in science fiction), as long as clearly sociolinguistic issues are at stake.
5. Deliberate use of marked language by speakers from outside the group in question
(e.g. with gender, ethnic or social indicators) designed to attract or repel members of
the targeted group. This is particularly common in advertising, but also occurs in
fiction when dialects or sociolects are deliberately imitated or mocked.
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GIVE A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE CHOSEN SITUATION. Describe the actual
linguistic facts that justify the analysis (e.g. markers of social class, gender, ethnicity,
etc.) and describe the interaction(s) in your source that demonstrate that a sociolinguistic
analysis if viable. This part of the analysis should be 2-3 pages long.
MAKE REFERENCE TO THE READINGS FOR THE COURSE. Cite appropriate sections in the
Wardhaugh textbook and/or the library reserve readings (be sure to give proper citations,
including page numbers). You may cite additional sources as well but this is not
required. You must cite at least one of the assigned readings for the course.
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THE ANALYSIS MUST BE TYPED (WORD-PROCESSED), DOUBLE-SPACED.
All work must be your own. You may use any written source but may not consult any
other person other than the instructor and may not collaborate with anyone else on your
project.
DO NOT TURN IN THE FILM OR MUSIC (CD, DVD, ETC.); DO KEEP THE ITEM
UNTIL YOUR GRADED ASSIGNMENT IS RETURNED, IN CASE I NEED TO ASK
FOR IT IN ORDER TO VERIFY YOUR WORK.