Linguistic theory: Sociolinguistics 1: Varieties of English

Timetable

Weekly, 15 x 90 mins.

Module aim (aims)

– To give a general overview of dialectal variation in English.

– To make the Students more acutely aware of dialectal phenomena.

– To provide a first introduction to selected topics and methods in linguistic analysis, in particular in sociolinguistics, such as the concept of the variable and corpus research.

– To learn about the specific features of selected English dialects on the basis of literature and work with real language data (textual and audiovisual).

– To prepare the Students for advanced courses in sociolinguistics.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Knowledge of basic linguistic notions, as covered in the secondary school; English proficiency at the B2 CEFR level.

Syllabus

1   Overview

This course will be devoted to regional variation in English at all levels of language structure. In other words, it will be about “dialects of English”, but other social sources of variation (such as social class or gender) will also be touched upon. During the first meetings, we will explore the spread of English around the world, and get an overview of some basic notions in linguistics, sociolinguistics, variation studies and dialectology. We will then move on to study examples from real data obtained mainly from electronic sources. Time permitting, we may also explore some adjacent topics, such as the importance of dialects in culture, and the consequences of variability for L2 learners.

2   Aims

Upon successfully completing this course, you will at least:

• Be able to give a general description of the dialectal variability in English.
• Know the basic concepts used in the description of dialects.
• Be able to discuss the specific features of selected English dialects.
• Have an understanding of the cultural importance of dialectal variation.

3   Assessment

Assessment will be done on the following basis:

• Class attendance. (See below.)
• Completion of assignments.
  1. There will be a number of reading and other homework assignments.
  2. There will be in-class tasks.
  3. Also, there will be a simple final quiz.
  4. There will also be additional tasks for extra credit (towards the end of the semester).

Proposed class topics

1. Introduction. Linguistic variability. Dialect vs. language.
2. The major varieties of English: Where English is spoken, and by whom.
3. Why do varieties differ? Dialects and language change.
4. Describing variation: How varieties differ. Variables and variants.
5. Selected examples of dialectal variation in English lexicon.
6. Selected examples of dialectal variation in English morphosyntax.
7. Selected examples of dialectal variation in English phonetics and phonology.
8. Describing selected English dialects.
9. Dialectal variation in culture (including pop culture).
10. Dialectal variation for non-native learners.

Reading list

Bauer, Laurie. 2002. An introduction to international varieties of English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Gramley, Stephan and Kurt-Michael Pätzold. 2004. A survey of Modern English. London: Routledge.

Hickey, Raymond. 2014. A dictionary of varieties of English. London: Routledge.

Melchers, Gunnel and Philip Shaw. 2011. World Englishes. London: Hodder Education.