ENG368
Sociolinguistics (2014-2015 Term 1)
Tuesday 11:25am-1:45pm
Room 203
Ms. Cecilia Li
email: ceciliali@chuhai.edu.hk
website: http://home.chuhai.hk/~ceciliali
Week
Theme/Topic
Activity/Assignment/Reading
1
Sept 2
Course Introduction
Introduction: What do sociolinguists study?
Holmes Chapter 1
2
Sept 16
/
/
3
Sept 23
Language choice in multilingual
communities
Holmes Chapter 2
4
Sept 30
Language maintenance and shift
Holmes Chapter 3
5
Oct 7
Linguistic varieties and multilingual nations
Holmes Chapter 4
6
Oct 14
Research tutorial
Oral report on the research
plan
7
Oct 21
National languages and language planning
Holmes Chapter 5
Oral presentation
8
Oct 28
Regional and social dialects
Holmes Chapter 6
Oral presentation
9
Nov 4
Gender and age
Holmes Chapter 7
Oral presentation
10
Nov 11
Gender and age
Holmes Chapter 7
Oral presentation
11
Nov 18
Ethnicity and social networks
Holmes Chapter 8
Oral presentation
1
12
Nov 25
Language change
Holmes Chapter 9
Oral presentation
13
Dec 2
Language change
Holmes Chapter 9
Oral presentation
Research project due
14
Dec 9
Test
Assessment Scheme
Test
Research project
Oral presentation of research
Class participation
30%
40%
15%
15%
Total
100%
Test
Students take an end-of-term test.
Research project
Students choose a topic of personal interest and write an academic essay that reflects
thorough research and in-depth discussion of the chosen topic. (1000 words)
Oral presentation of research project
Students present their research project to the class. (30 minutes)
Class participation
Students are expected to complete all assigned readings before each class and to
participate actively in class discussion.
2
Readings
Essential
Holmes, Janet. 2008. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (3rd edition). Harlow: Longman.
References
Bolton, Kingsley. 2006. Chinese Englishes: A Sociolinguistic History. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Fasold, Ralph. 1990. The Sociolinguistics of Language. Oxford: Blackwell.
Kachru, Braj. 2005. Asian English: Beyond the Canon. Hong Kong: Hong Kong
University Press.
Romaine, Suzanne. 2000. Language in Society (2nd edition). Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Trudgill, Peter. 1983. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society.
Harmondsworth, England: Penguin.
Wardhaug, Ronald. 1992. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (2nd edition). Oxford:
Blackwell.
3