Sociolinguistics
Code
711131040
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Maria Sousa Lobo Gonçalves
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To understand the basic theoretical instruments which allow us to describe and analyze sociolinguistic phenomena;
b) to characterize the different sociolinguistic methodologies;
c) to observe and describe sociolinguistic phenomena involved in the interplay of language and society , language and context of language use; language and identity;
d) to acquire the habit of analyzing the diverse levels of the relationship of language with the social contexts of its use;
e) to apply the knowledge acquired during the course to the analysis of language behaviour by speakers of Portuguese.
Prerequisites
Not applied.
Subject matter
1. Theorectical and methodological concepts:
1.1. speakers and speech communities;
1.2. varieties and variants;
1.3. National and official languages;
1.4. bilinguism and multilinguism;
1.5. standard language and dialects;
2. Language and contexts of use:
2.1. registers,
2.2. diglossia,
2.3. code-switching;
3. Language and society:
3.1. social dialects;
3.2. social variables and sociolinguistic variables;
3.3. quantitative studies; discussion of some studies
4. Language and social identity:
4.1. differentiation by sex of speaker;
4.2. address formulae power and solidarity
Bibliography
GIGLIOLI, P.P. (ed.), Language and social context, Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1972. BOLINGER, D., Language: The Loaded Weapon. The Use and Abuse of Language Today, London/New York, Longman, 1980.
BAUGH, John & Joel SHERZER (eds.), Language in Use Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984
HUDSON, R.A., Sociolinguistics, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1985
FASOLD, R., The sociolinguistics of language, Oxford, Blackwell, 1990
Teaching method
Lectures (60%); class discussion and analysis of oral and written texts, presentation and discussion of student papers (40%).
Evaluation method
Two in-class written tests: mid-term (30%) and final (30%); 5 short reading reports (10%); one individual written term paper (5 to 10 pages), with oral presentation (30%)