English 518: Introduction to Sociolinguistics (Spring 2006) M;W 10-11:15 216 Language Arts
Instructor: Bill Crawford
Office: 325 Babbit Academic Annex; Tel.: 523-5987; email:
Office hours: M 11:20—12:30; W 9:00-10:00
Class website: http://oak.ucc.nau.edu/wjc6/ENG518index.htm
The course will investigate the many levels of meaning communicated in our everyday use of language, with special attention to the following:
o The linguistic marking of speaker characteristics (age, social class, education, occupation) and role relations
o The linguistic choices affected by varying purposes, topics, and settings
o English 'rules of speaking' and conversational styles
o Cross-cultural interaction (crosstalk)
o Register variation
o Sociology of language issues, including:
o Language and education, literacy
o Standardization of Language
o Multilingualism, and language planning
Course requirements include: completing reading assignments before each class session, participation in class discussion, two in-class exams (mid-term and final), analytical homework assignments (requiring short typewritten responses), transcription assignment, class presentations, and an annotated bibliography assignment
Grading: points
Text analysis and register analysis 10
Class presentation on a topic 10
Midterm exam 15
Transcription assignment 15
Annotated bibliography 20
Presentation on bibliography 10
Final Exam 20
Total points: 100
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Required Texts: (at the University bookstore or you may order from an online service such as: amazon.com or www.bestwebbuys.com/books/)
1. Mesthrie, Rajend, Joan Swann, Andrea Deumert, and William Leap. (2000). Introducing sociolinguistics. Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
2. Tannen, D. (2005). Conversational Style: analyzing talk among friends. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
3. Course Readings: Packet available as Staples or you can copy the readings weekly
Tentative course outline
Week 1 / W 1/17 / Course Introduction / Llamas & Stockwell
Hand out text analysis exercise
and transcription assignment
Week 2 / M 1/23 / The Sociolinguistic background / Preston; Young (Mesthrie, chapter 4 is optional)
W 1/25 / Sociolinguistic Relativity
Communicative Competence and the Rules of Speaking / Wolfson, chapters 1 and 2
Text analysis due
Week3 / M 1/30 / Investigating Spoken Interaction / Wolfson, chapter 3; Mesthrie, chapter 6
W 2/1 / Sociolinguistic Behavior of English Speakers; An In-Depth Analysis of Speech Behavior / Wolfson, chapters 5 and 6
Week 4 / M 2/6 / Speech Behavior and Social Dynamics;Miscommunication / Wolfson, chapters 6 and 7
Film “Crosstalk”
W 2/8 / Conversation analysis / Tannen chapters 1-4
Annotated bibliography proposal due
Week 5 / M 2/13 / Conversation analysis / Tannen, chapters 1-4
W 2/15 / Conversation analysis / Tannen, chapters 5; 7-9
Week 6 / M 2/20 / Conversation analysis / Tannen, chapters 5; 7-9
W 2/22 / Situational Language: Corpus Linguistics / Reppen & Simpson
Comparative Register analysis available
Week 7 / M 2/27 / Multi-dimensional analysis / Biber & Conrad; Biber, Conrad, Reppen, Byrd, & Helt
W 3/1 / Register analysis / Finegan & Biber; Ferguson
Comparative Register analysis Due
Week 8 / M 3/6 / Linguistic marking of role relations: Teacher Talk / Cullen 1998; 2002
W 3/8 / Mid-Term Review
Week 9 / M 3/13 / Mid-Term Examination
W 3/15 / No Class (TESOL)
Spring Break 3/20-3/24
Week 10 / M3/27 / *Language Choice and Code Switching / Mesthrie, chapter 5
W 3/29 / *Social Dialectology / Mesthrie, chapter 3
Week 11 / M 4/3 / *“Style” and Sociolinguistics / Schilling-Estes; Bell
Transcription Projects Due
W 4/5 / Presentations on Transcription Projects
Week 12 / M 4/10 / Presentations on Transcription Projects
W 4/12 / *Gender and Language Use / Mesthrie, chapter 7; Tannen
Week 13 / M 4/17 / *Sociolinguistics and Education / Mesthrie, chapter 11; McGroarty
W 4/19 / * Language Planning and Policy / Mesthrie, chapter 12; Wiley
Week 14 / M 4/24 / *Critical Sociolinguistics / Mesthrie, Chapter 10
Annotated Bibliographies Due
W 4/26 / Presentations of Annotated Bibliographies
Week 15 / M 5/1 / Presentations of Annotated Bibliographies
W 5/3 / Review
Final Exam: Monday, May 8; 10:00AM—12:00 PM ; 216 LA
Class presentations on a topic include the topics that are preceded by asterisks (weeks 10-14). During these presentations, the group is responsible for 1) presenting the information in the readings; and, 2) leading a class discussion on the topic (including discussion questions). Prior to these presentations, the group is strongly encouraged to consult with me. Handouts for these presentations are required.
Class presentations on transcription projects should include a clear discussion of methodology and an analysis of the transcription.
Class presentations on the annotated bibliography can be done in a number of ways. In the past, the two most popular types of presentation have been: 1) a conference-like presentation of the paper (15 minutes with 5 minute question and answer session; or, 2) a poster/brochure developed by the students that provides a visual representation of a particular topic. Other modes of presentation are possible. See me for more details.
Guidelines for the annotated bibliography (20 points)
The paper for ENG 518 is an annotated bibliography of empirical research studies published in refereed journals (i.e. not lit reviews or survey articles). The paper should be typed following the professional style sheet for a major journal in sociolinguistics or discourse analysis. Specify the style sheet that you followed. Your annotations must represent your own original thoughts; copying from the articles represents plagiarism and will result in a grade of F.
Organization of the annotated bibliography:
Part I: Introduction
Select an area or topic of interest in sociolinguistics. In a one page introduction, explain why this topic is relevant to the field of sociolinguistics and of interest to you.
Part II: Annotated bibliography
Provide concise but thorough summaries of 10-12 journal articles related to your topic. Begin each summary by giving the full reference for the article. The articles should be empirical research studies published in refereed journals, such as Applied Linguistics, TESOL QUARTERLY, Language in Society, Language Variation and Change, Discourse Studies, English Language and Linguistics, ESP Journal. ( non-refereed web documents are not acceptable.)
The summaries should include the research questions addressed, the primary methodologies used, and the major findings. Be sure that your summaries are detailed enough that a reader can understand the study without having to read the article. The strengths and weakness of the studies (e.g., design issues, readability, applicability, etc.) should be discussed.
Part III: Synthesis and conclusion
In a one page conclusion, provide an overview that describes how these studies are related to one another, how they relate to other course readings, and how they relate to your interests. (e.g., Are there new issues that came up as a result of your investigation? How can you apply what you learned from these readings?)
Scoring rubric
A. Introduction = why is this an important topic? (2 points)
B. 10-12 article summaries = empirical research studies = the research questions addressed, the primary methodologies used, and the major findings. Each entry should be detailed enough that a reader can understand the study without having to read the article. The strengths and weakness of the studies (e.g., design issues, readability, applicability, etc.) should be discussed. (15 points)
C. One page conclusion = an overview that describes how these studies are related to one another, how they relate to other course readings, and how they relate to your interests. (2 points)
D. Conformance to style sheet (1 point)
You should submit a one-page proposal for your annotated bibliography by Wednesday, February 8. In this proposal, state your topic; its relevance to both you and the field of sociolinguistics; the type of citation style that you will use; and, possible journals/book chapters that will be used in your bibliography. The Annual Review of Applied Linguistics provides a nice model of annotated bibliographies. If you are struggling deciding on a topic, take a look at the course topics and see what grabs you; or, come and have a chat with me.
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