ANTHROPOLOGY 469C (Undergraduate)
ANTHROPOLOGY 689C (Graduate)
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
University of Maryland
Winter Session 2016
Credit Hours: 3
* Online Course *
Dr. Jacqueline Messing
Instructor, Department of Anthropology
University of Maryland-College Park
jmessing@umd.edu
http://usf.academia.edu/JacquelineMessing
Office Hours: Online queries answered at least twice a day, and by appointment.
Telephone:
By appointment.
Email:
jmessing@umd.edu * Please put “LAC” as the first word in your subject header.
Course description Objectives: ANTH 469C (Undergraduate) & ANTH 689C (Graduate)
This course focuses on key issues in the study of language in its cultural context. We will
highlight some contemporary ethnographic approaches in linguistic anthropology, by considering
the phenomenon of bilingualism and multilingualism, focusing on linguistic diversity in the U.S.
and internationally, through the study of the use and structure of such codes as African American
speech, Spanish, Native American Languages, American Sign Language, and Pidgins and
Creoles. Students will learn about the importance of the oral tradition and verbal art in cultures
(i.e. African-American and indigenous cultures). This online class will also study technologymediated communication, including language and internet cultures. We will consider the
implications of linguistic diversity for education, and the effects of language change over time,
sometimes culminating in the language endangerment and potential death of minority (heritage
& native) languages. We will consider communication that is both verbal and non-verbal, and
that can vary according to gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and other social factors.
Course requirements: Some coursework in either Anthropology or Linguistics, or permission of the
instructor. Students must be able to complete assignments and exams online through the use of
ELMS/CANVAS. Online tutorials are available (see Technical Assistance links).
Objectives: Students are expected to complete the reading assignments by MIDNIGHT on the dates for
which they have been assigned. This is especially critical for a winter session course. Graded
assignments include the following:
A. Exams. There will be two exams, each covering one-half of the course material. The exam will
consist of brief, essay responses to questions, and may include matching or fill-in questions.
Review information will be provided at the end of the first week of class. The exams must be
completed online within the allotted time frame. You will have several days to begin and
complete the exam, but once you begin the exam online it must be submitted; changes are not
allowed. All students will be able to try out the exam system before taking the actual exam, with
a “test run” to ensure understanding of the technology.
Exam I: Available June 10 to June 14
20% of course grade
Exam II: Available June 18 to June 21
20% of course grade
B. Twelve Topic Discussion Posts.
Students are required to post substantive comments and questions to the on-line class discussion
board for each of the twelve topics, through our Elms/CANVAS website.
You will be expected to keep a record of your responses and reflections as you consider the
various topics covered in this course. Your notes will assist you as you write your posting to the
board on each topic. You should have at least 500 words for each of the twelve topical units.
These journal entries must be posted. Your journal entries should show that you have done the
required readings and that you have reflected on them. Journal entries must be posted during the
assigned week. Your journal entries will not be graded on any predetermined format but will be
graded holistically. I will be looking at your entries and judging the seriousness of purpose and
completeness of coverage.
You will also be required to respond to the journal entries of your fellow classmates at least once
for each topic. These responses should be thoughtful and complete, indicating time spent.
Each post must be at least 500 words in length and should provide a thoughtful commentary
on the course readings and website investigations. These comments may pose interesting
questions for discussion and should demonstrate a critical engagement with the readings, and
must be “on-topic.” Comments that begin new threads of discussion, and, replies to other
students’ posts are acceptable. These posts are designed to spark our virtual class discussion, and
thus must be submitted in enough time for everyone to read them. Each post is worth 3% of
your grade for a total of 36% of grade.
C. Discussion Posts on Videos
Students are required to post substantive comments and questions to the on-line class discussion
board for each video that will be viewed, through our Elms/CANVAS website. Each post must
be at least 150 words in length and should provide a thoughtful commentary on what you have
viewed. 15% of course grade
Further information will be provided about the videos, which will require that students
download VPN from this site:
https://www.itsc.umd.edu/MRcgi/MRTicketPage.pl?USER=&MRP=0&PROJECTID=1&MR=11432
To download the software from the above site, click on the type of windows software you are
running. The options will be:
Windows: Windows 7 / Windows Vista / Windows XP
Macintosh: Macintosh OS X 10.4
Macintosh OS X 10.5 and later
Linux: Anyconnect-linux 2.4.0202
For more information or technical assistance, contact the Office for Instructional Technology
(OIT) http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/
D. First Day Introductory Post
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When you fully understand how the course will be offered and what is required, go to the
Discussion Board area, and participate in the “Greetings and Introductions” topic.
(Pass/Fail)
E. LinkBlog Entry: explore language-related topics of your choice on the World Wide Web Due by
the end of the second week of class: by June 14 3% of course grade
F. Two Discussion Posts with Ethnography of Communication Observations: This exercise is
designed to assist you in undertaking brief ethnographic explorations of everyday language use.
You will be asked to observe two communication situations in the “real world” (nonvirtual) and
describe them according to the “Ethnography of Communication” rubric. Each post must be at
least 150 words in length. Due: by June 12 and June 16. 6% of course grade
G. For Graduate Students Only:
Each graduate student is required to complete a final paper that is based on a review of two
articles, of the student’s choice, in the Journal of Linguistic Anthropology. Additional
information will be provided in the Graduate Student Thread on the Discussion Board
Paper must be 10-12 pages. Papers must be typed, double-spaced, with 1” margins and
include page numbers. Document every idea that is not your own with a source citation,
including page numbers. Be consistent in your citation format throughout the paper.
Worth 10% of grade (balanced with exams which are weighted less for graduate students at
10% each). Due: June 19.
Grading Policy and Scale: Assignments will be evaluated primarily on the basis of students’
comprehension and understanding of the material presented in the course. Other factors that figure in
evaluation of assignments include creative and critical insight, and clarity, coherence, and organization of
writing.
Scale
A = excellent
B = good
C = average
D = poor
F = failure
I = incomplete
The plus and minus grading system will apply.
93+% = A [NOTE: the University does not distinguish between A and A+ in computing GPA]
90-92% = A87-89% = B+
83-86% = B
80-82% = B77-79% = C+
73-76% = C
70-72% = C67-69% = D+
63-66% = D
60-62% = Dbelow 59%= F
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SUMMARY
Discussion Board Posts
36% Topical Posts
15% Video Posts
6% Ethnography of Communication Observation Posts
3% BlogLinks Internet post
20
Exam 1
20
Exam II
----------100 Total
60
For graduate students: Final paper is worth 10% and exams are 15% each.
General Course Policies
1. Follow the syllabus and keep up to date on the readings for this short-term, intensive course.
2. Work will not be accepted after the deadlines. The only exception to this is a documented medical
emergency. Incomplete grades cannot be granted given the short term nature of this course.
3. In all online posts, it is expected that students will be respectful of their fellow students, their
instructors, and respectful of cultures and traditions which are not their own.
4. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation because of a disability should contact the
professor to discuss their specific needs.
5. The university policy on student academic integrity regarding plagiarism and cheating will be strictly
honored. The University has a nationally recognized Honor Code, administered by the Student Honor
Council. The Student Honor Council proposed and the University Senate approved an Honor Pledge. The
University of Maryland Honor Pledge reads:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on
this assignment/examination.
Student work may be submitted to an automated plagiarism detection service (i.e. SafeAssign) which
allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for plagiarism.
6. There are no opportunities for extra credit.
7. This syllabus is subject to modification, according to the needs of the class. The videos in particular
may need to be substituted, depending on their availability in the University’s online library, and/or their
availability online since links are not stable.
Course Texts:
1. Blum, Susan. 2013 edition. Making Sense of Language: Readings in Culture and
Communication. Oxford University Press. Referred to in syllabus as MSOL.
Available in the UMD bookstore or via Amazon.
*Be sure to buy the 2013 edition.
*There should be used books available through both booksellers.
2. Additional readings. A small number of additional articles are posted on the course website.
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Video viewing: Several online videos will be shown and discussed on the discussion board. See the
information sheet on how to access videos in ELMS/Canvas.
Schedule of course topics and readings –Winter 2016
Topic 1 Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology and Linguistics
PowerPoint: Sociolinguistic Context
Video Clips Online (short): Do You Speak American and American Tongues
Readings:
Rickford, John. 2002. How linguists approach the study of language and dialect. Manuscript, Stanford
University. 15 pages.
MSOL: Preface, Introduction to each of the 9 units (read one-page introductions); Review Glossary and
Index.
Chapter 1. Robbins Burling, "Smiles, Winks, and Words"
2. Ferdinand de Saussure, "Nature of the Linguistic Sign"
3. Charles Hockett, "The Origin of Speech"
Topic 2 Introduction continued.
PowerPoint: Semiotics, Nonverbal communication & American Sign Language (ASL), and Literacy
Readings:
Chapter 4. William C. Stokoe, "Signing and Speaking: Competitors, Alternatives, or Incompatibles?"
10. Shirley Brice Heath, “What No Bedtime Story Means.”
12. John DeFrancis, “What is Writing?”
17. Jabari Mohini, “Literacies in the Lives of Urban Youth.”
Topic 3 Language, Thought and Culture
PowerPoint Sapir/Whorf Hypothesis, Language Acquisition & Socialization
PowerPoint Language and Apes
Video: Do you speak American part I. (Available online through UMD’s library; links posted)
Readings:
Chapter 6. Benjamin Lee Whorf, "The Relation of Habitual Thought and Behavior to Language"
7. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, "Metaphors We Live By"
8. Stephen C. Levinson, "Language and Mind: Let's Get the Issues Straight!"
&
Required for Graduate students: Chapter 9 Ochs & Schieffelin, Language Acquisition and
Socialization.
Topic 4 Multilingualism
PowerPoint Multilingualism
Video: Do You Speak American and other clips
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5
Readings, Choose: Read selected two (2) articles from section on societal multilingualism. Be clear in
your online posts which chapter and author you read. Choose two among: McArthur, Battistella,
ésuleiman, and Gupta. And read both articles, Zentella and Garcia-Sanchez on individual
multilingualism:
*Societal Multilingualism
19. Tom McArthur, "Chinese, English, Spanish - and the Rest: How do the World's very large languages
operate within its 'communicative ecology'?"
20. Edwin L. Battistella, "Bad Language: Bad Citizens"
21. Y. Suleiman, “Language Education Policy-Arabic Speaking countries.”
22. Anthea Fraser Gupta, “The Language Ecology of Singapore.’
28. Ghil’ad Zuckermann and Michael Walsh, “Stop, Revive, Survive: Lessons from the Hebrew Revival”
*Individual Multilingualism
23. Ana Celia Zentella, "Bilingualism en casa "
24. Inmaculada M. Garcia-Sanchez, “Serious Games: Code-switching in Morocco”
Topic 5 Endangered Languages
PowerPoint Language Shift
Video: Punana Leo, Hawaii language revitalization, Messing fieldwork in Mexico.
Readings:
MSOL Chapters:
25. John H. McWhorter, "Most of the World's Languages Went Extinct"
26. Donna Patrick, “Indigenous Language Endangerment and the Unfinished Business of Nation States.”
27. Annettee Boudreau and Lise Dubois, “Francais, Acadien, Acadjonne: Competing discourses on
Language Preservation, Baie Sainte-Marie.”
Topic 6 Language and Identity: Region and Class
PowerPoint Language and Identity
Video: Do you speak American?
Readings:
29. William Labov, "Social Stratification of (r) in New York City Department Stores"
30. Deborah Tannen, "New York Jewish Conversational Style"
31. William Kretzschmar, Jr., “Regional Dialects.”
Topic 7 Language and Identity: Race and Ethnicity
PowerPoint African American Speech (African American Vernacular English/Ebonics) and Spanish in
U.S.
*"Race" and Ethnicity
Video: Clips from the “Story of English” series.
Readings:
32. John R. Rickford, "Suite for Ebony and Phonics"
33. H. Samy Alim, “Hip Hop Nation Language”
34. Richard Rodriguez, “Aria”
Topic 8 Language and Identity: Gender
PowerPoint Language and Gender
Video: Deborah Tannen and gender communication, clips. And/or Gender, language and communication.
Readings:
35. William M. O'Barr and Bowman K. Atkins, "'Women's Language' or 'Powerless Language'?"
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36. Scott Fabius Kiesling, "Power and the Language of Men"
37. Kira Hall, “’Unnatural Gender in Hindi”
38. William Leap, “Language, Socialization, and Silence in Gay Adolescence Generation”
40. Scott F. Kiesling, “Dude.”
Topic 9 Discourse, Performance and Ritual
PowerPoint Orality and Literacy
Language as Social Action: Discourse, Performance and Ritual
Video: None.
Readings:
41. J. L. Austin, "How to Do Things with Words"
43. Susan D. Blum, "Naming Practices and the Power of Words in China"
45. Katharine Young, “Narrative Embodiments: Enclaves of the Self in the Realm of Medicine.”
Topic 10 Language Attitudes and Ideology
PowerPoint Ethnography of Communication, Bilingual Ed
Unit 6: Language Ideology
Video: Richard Rodriguez
Readings:
Jacqueline Messing. 2009. Ambivalence and Ideology among Mexicano Youth in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
Journal of Language, Identity and Education. Special Issue: Indigenous Youth and Bilingualism, edited
by T. McCarty and L. Wyman.
46. Benjamin Bailey, “Communication of Respect in Interethnic Service Encounters.”
47. Chaise LeDousa, “On Mother and Other Tongues: Sociolinguistics, Schools and Language Ideology
in Northern India.”
Topic 11 Silence as communication
Video: Apache storytelling, clips.
Readings:
48. Keith Basso, "'To Give Up on Words': Silence in Western Apache Culture"
Recommended: Richard Bauman, "Let Your Words Be Few: Speaking and Silence in Quaker Ideology"
in MSOL 2008, First edition.
Topic 12 Language, Communication and Technology/New Media
PowerPoint: Technology/New Media
Video: None.
Readings:
15. John Durham Peters, “The Quest for Authentic Connection.”
16. David Crystal, “Why All the Fuss?” [On Language and the Internet]
18. Marshall T. Poe, “Homo Somnians: Humanity in the Age of the Internet.”
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Course Organization – Winter 2016
This online course is organized in twelve topical units. In order to successfully complete this course,
each student must do the following:
• Do all required readings in the text Making Sense of Language, and additional posted articles
and websites.
• Post a First Day Introductory comment to the discussion board
• Post twelve 500-word Topic Discussion entries dealing with required readings and website
investigations.
• Participate in online class discussion by commenting on other students' posts.
• View online videos or videos through the University of Maryland (which may require either
visiting the library, or downloading VPN to view them online.)
• Post 150-word Video Discussion entries dealing with videos viewed (4-7 videos).
• Post to the LinkBlog in the first week after exploring linguistic anthropology websites
• Take and pass two exams, each covering one-half of the course material.
• Two Discussion Posts with Ethnography of Communication Observations:
• For Graduate Students Only:
o Write a final paper that is based on a review of two articles, of the student’s choice,
in the Journal of Linguistic Anthropology (or other journal, with Professor Messing’s
authorization). Pay special attention to web-enhanced content on the website, accessed
via your UMD login and the library. http://linguisticanthropology.org/journal/ access
via www.anthrosource.net via the library website. A discussion on this paper can be
started in the graduate student thread of the board; please post your questions here so
others can read them and see my responses.
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