Professor: Alan D. DeSantis, Ph. D.
Office: GrehanBuilding 234
Phone: 257-1975
E-Mail:
COM 350
Language and Communication
Fall 2003
Language and Communication (COM 350) is designed to give the student an in-depth understanding of language from an historical, anthropological, sociological, & linguistic perspective.
Specific Course Goals
The course's mission is to refine your understanding of the human language. Specifically, the class seeks to:
1) Examine the historical developments of the world’s languages
2) Give special attention to the development of English as an Indo-European language
3) Understand the myriad of cultural influences that have changed, and are changing, “American” as a distinctive world language
4) Explore the relationship between language the culture
5) Dispel common myths about communication and language
6) Review the leading theories on language that have emerged in the last century
7) Examine the relationship between the spoken and written word
8) Review the research on language acquisition
9) Understand how all language is ideologically loaded with values that reflect a culture’s belief system
10) Analyze multicultural differences and its impact on language
11) Spark a passion in you about the marvels of human language
Required Texts
Bauer, L., Trudgill, P. (1998). Language myths. New York: Penguin Books.
Bryson, B. (1990). The mother tongue: English and how it got that way. New York: Perennial.
Bryson, B. (1995). Made in America: An informal history of the English language in the United States. New York: Perennial.
Lippi-Gree, R. (1997). English with an accent: Language, ideology and discrimination in the United States. New York: Routledge.
Attendance
You will be allowed two unexcused absence. For every exceeding unexcused absence, there will be a 2.5% grade reduction from your final grade. To have an absence excused, you will need to give your instructor legitimate written proof from a recognized source explaining the absence.
Course Assignments and Grading
Daily Quizzes—50 Points
To reward your for reading the daily selection, quizzes will be administered periodically throughout the semester.
Class Participation—10 Points
As in all my classes, students are asked to take a major role in their own education. It is crucial that you come to EVERY class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. Furthermore, it is assumed that every student will challenge, question, and build on the ideas generated in class.
Research Prospectus 40 Points
Students will write a prospectus for a research project that studies “language.”While you do not have to conduct an actual study, your prospectus should supply a clear and detailed game plan for your study.
After you have select a topic and have it approved by me, you will have to . . .
1) write an inviting introduction with a clear purpose statement and a detailed preview statement.
2) review the literature in your area using a minimum of 12 different sources.
3) tell me where and how your proposal fits into the ongoing intellectual conversation found in the literature (i.e., what is new about your idea, what works inform your topic, how is it positioned within the literature).
4) justify why we need this project (i.e., who does it help, what questions does it answer).
5) discuss the methodology that will be used in your project (i.e., survey, ethnography, interviewing, content analysis, etc.).Make sure you supply me with an idea of how you will collect your data and what tools or approaches will be used to analyze your data.
6) supply a detailed agenda and timelineof what will be done, how it will be done, and when it will be done (i.e., a step by step overview).
7) talk about your project’s limitations.
8) expand on future areas of research.
9) write a thoughtful conclusion.
On the last day of the semester, you will need to turn in your prospectus. It should be 12-15 pages, typed, and in APA form.
Class Schedule
August
27 Introduction To the Course
September
1Labor Day
3The Mother Tongue, Ch. 1, 2
8 The Mother Tongue, Ch. 3, 4
10 The Mother Tongue, Ch. 5, 10
15 The Mother Tongue, Ch. 13, 14
17Made In America, Ch. 4, 5
22 Made In America, Ch. 6, 7
24 Made In America, Ch. 8, 9
29 Made In America, Ch. 10, 11
October
1 Made In America, Ch. 12, 13
6 Made In America, Ch. 14, 15
8 Made In America, Ch. 16, 17
13 Made In America, Ch. 18, 20
15Language Myths, Ch. 1, 2, 3
20 Language Myths, Ch. 4, 5, 6
22 Language Myths, Ch. 7, 8, 9
27 Language Myths, Ch. 10, 11, 12
29 Language Myths, Ch. 13, 14, 15
November
3 Language Myths, Ch. 16, 17, 18
5Language Myths, Ch. 19, 20, 21
10 English With An Accent, Ch. 4 & Part II Introduction
12 English With An Accent, Ch. 5
17 English With An Accent, Ch. 6
19NCA (No Class)
24 English With An Accent, Ch. 7
26 English With An Accent, Ch. 8
December
1 English With An Accent, Part III Introduction & Ch. 9
3 English With An Accent, Ch. 10
8 English With An Accent, Ch. 11 & Conclusion
10Turn in your research prospectus