SOCIOLINGUISTICS Fall 2008
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9/17
9/24
10/1
10/8
10/15
10/22
10/29
11/5
11/12
11/19
11/26
12/3
12/10
12/17
12/24
12/31
1/7
1/14
T. Nash
SF225, 2905-2563 engl1001@mail.fju.edu.tw
Opening
Chap. 1: What do sociolinguists study?
Chap. 2: Language choice in multilingual communities
Chap. 3: Language maintenance and shift
[Choose in-class article for 10/29]
Chap. 4: Linguistic varieties and multilingual nations [Project topics]
Chap. 5: National languages and language planning
In-class article discussion
[Article summary & questions]
Chap. 6: Regional and social dialects
Chap. 7: Gender and age
Chap. 8: Ethnicity and social networks
[Article review]
Chap. 9: Language change
Chap. 10: Style, context, and register
Chap. 11: Speech functions, politeness, and cross-cultural communication [Begin exam]
Chap. 12: Gender, politeness, and stereotypes
Chap. 13: Language, cognition, and culture
[Exam due]
Chap. 14: Attitudes and applications
Group presentations
Group presentations
[Project reports]
Requirements
class participation (20%) (attendance, reading, active discussion, questions, article summary for In-class article
discussion, group presentation of project), review of a journal article (20%), take-home exam (25%), written
project report (35%) (very small group: 2-4 members)
Textbook
Holmes, Janet. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. 2nd ed. Harlow, England: Longman-Pearson, 2001.
REVIEWING AN ARTICLE: Read it according to the method taught in class (see below, also). In your review
first summarize it briefly, and then relate it to the textbook, class discussion, and your own experience. Discuss how
the article is important (or not) and what your peers could learn from it. Format: Put the bibliographic information
on the article at the top of the first page of your review, in the same form as for MLA Works Cited. Reviews with
incorrect format here will be returned for revision. Type Reviewed by ____ two lines down, with your full name in
boldface. 3-5 pages.
The article must be about sociolinguistics, and must be in a professional journal. It must be a research article,
not a review or a summary. A chapter of a book is not acceptable. Articles from online journals will not be acceptable
without prior permission. With your review turn in a complete copy of the article. Beware of plagiarism. (See MLA
Handbook, Chapter 2).
Some relevant journals in the library (See also the references in the textbook.)
Anthropological Linguistics, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, Language, Language in Society,
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Journal of Pragmatics, International Journal of Bilingualism
Reading a professional article: If the title looks interesting or important for your interests, read the abstract. Then
read the introduction and the conclusion, and skim the References (Works Cited). If you follow the main idea and are
still interested, go back and read the whole article from the beginning, including the abstract. (If you don’t follow
well after reading the abstract, introduction, and conclusion, abandon the article and choose another.) When finished,
reread if necessary. Take points you don’t understand to ask your friendly professor. If you really can’t understand the
article, give it up and find one more suitable for you.
In-class article discussion 10/29 The class will choose ONE of the articles below for discussion. (You can check
them in the library before we vote to see which looks most interesting for you.) Read the article that is chosen and
write a one-page summary of it as preparation for in-class discussion. Also, write down questions you have on the
article. The discussion will focus on, first, making sure everyone gets the main point, and second, what we can learn
from the article and how it relates to us.
Garrett, Peter, Betsy Evans, and Angie Williams. “What Does the Word ‘Globalisation’ Mean to You?: Comparative
Perceptions and Evaluations in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and the UK.” Journal of Multilingual and
Multicultural Development 27 (2006): 392-412.
Gaudio, Rudulf P. “Coffeetalk: Starbucks™ and the Commercialization of Casual Conversation.” Language in
Society
32 (2003): 659-691.
Lee, Jamie Shinhee. “Linguistic Constructions of Modernity: English Mixing in Korean Television Commercials.”
Language in Society 35 (2006): 59-91.
Smyth, Ron, Greg Jacobs, and Henry Rogers. “Male Voices and Perceived Sexual Orientation: An Experimental and
Theoretical Approach.” Language in Society 32 (2003): 329-350.
Weninger, Csilla. “Speakers’ Perceptions of Code Choice in a Foreign Language Academic Department.” Journal of
Multilingual and Multicultural Development 28 (2007): 134-151.
Take-home exam Dec. 10 – Dec. 24 One question on each of the chapters covered up to the day the exam begins,
plus one on the article discussed in class on Oct. 29. You answer one question in essay form, 2.5 to 5 pages.