Sociolinguistics

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to English sociolinguistics. It surveys how language is impacted by social variables such as ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, and geography. It also explores topics including slang, jargon, dialect, identity, and power. Students are introduced to the basic subfields of linguistics-phonology, morphology, and syntax-before venturing into deeper sociolinguistic issues. The course should interest students pursuing careers in education, writing, business-and those wanting to expand their knowledge of linguistics.