Language and Ethnicity

Catalog description

This course explores historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives on the relationship between language and ethnicity, and related concepts such as race, with a special focus on the United States. It centers on class discussions informed by readings that examine how language reflects and defies ethnic boundaries and how ideas about ethnicity influence the ways people use and construe language. The course covers topics such as ethnicization, racialization, authentication, linguistic repertoire, style shifting, mocking, ideology, and the concept of the listening subject. Requirements include attendance, participation, essays, class presentations, and a final paper. Students will gain experience in collecting and interpreting linguistic data and enhance their ability to write about language from a social scientific perspective, with the opportunity to incorporate feedback into their writing. Prerequisites: LING 0100 /CLPS 0300, LING 0511 /CLPS 0340, or LING 0530 /CLPS 0370.