Jordan University of Science & Technology
Department of English for Applied Studies
Second Semester 2007-2008
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Module Syllabus
Module Name: Sociolinguistics
Module Number: ……Engle. 406…………………………………
Level: ………Engl. 406……………………………………….
Credit Hours: ………3…………………………..
Prerequisite / Co-Requisite: ……Engle. 201……………………
Semester:2nd 2006/2006
Lecturer (Name, Academic Rank) Professor Dr. Mahmoud Al-Khatib
Office Hours: Sunday+Tuesday+Thursday: 11:15-12:15 A.M.
Aims (Module Purpose):
Students develop an understanding of the relations between
language and society and the various functions of language in society.
Issues explored include language and dialect, multilingual societies,
the role of status and solidarity in language use as well as variation in
language which may be linked to social and regional background, age
and gender.
Teaching Methods:
Lectures and using library for research.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, student will be able to demonstrate:
1. Knowledge and critical understanding of basic sociolinguistic terms and
concepts, including accent, dialect, variety and standardization
2. Knowledge and critical understanding of the notions of speech event,
communicative competence and speech community
3. An awareness of how language variation and the related phenomenon of
language choice signal the social identity of speakers and their social
relationships, and how power relationships are reflected in language use
4. An awareness of the links between language variation, language choice and
social context
5. Familiarity with the main methods of sociolinguistic research
Additional outcomes:
Students will have an enhanced understanding of the way language is used
to create and define social context, and this will lead to a greater
appreciation of issues of linguistic discrimination.
Module Outline:
Week
Date
Subject
(1)
10/2-14/2
Introduction to Sociolinguistics
(2)
17/2-21/2
What does sociolinguistics study?
(3)
24/2-28/3
Language choice in multilingual communities
(4)
2/3-6/3
Code-switching and code-mixing
(5)
9/3-13/3
Language maintenance and shift
(6)
16/3-20/3
Language maintenance and shift
First exam
(7)
23/3-27/3
How can a minority language be maintained?
(8)
30/4-3/4
Vernacular languages
(9)
6/4-10/4
Standard languages
(10)
13/4-17/4
Regional and social dialect
(11)
20/4-24/4
Sex
(12)
27/4-1/5
Age,
Second exam
(13)
4/5-8/5
Ethnicity and social network
(14)
11/5-15/5
Style, context and register
(15)
18/5-22/6
Revision for the Final Exam
(16)
25/5-3/6
Final exam
Modes of Assessment:
Modes of Assessment
First Exam
Second Exam
Final Exam
Score
30
30
40
Date
20/3
1/5
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 Make-up exams will be offered for valid reasons only with consent of the
Dean. Make-up exams may be different from regular exams in content and
format.
Attendance Policy:
Lecture attendance is mandatory. Student is allowed maximally 15% absentia
of the total module hours.
More than this percentage, student with an excuse will be drawn from the
module. Otherwise, student will be deprived from the module with zero mark
assigned.
Expected Workload:
On average you should expect to spend at least (3.) hours per week on this
module.
Text Book(s):
Title: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics
Author: Janet Holmes
Publisher: Longman, London and New York
In addition to the above, the lecturer will provide the students with
some handouts.