LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL IDENTITY

Catalog description

This course examines the relationship between language and socio-cultural identity, beginning with the observation that patterns of language use are both constructed through and reinforced within social relationships. Students will examine the way categories of identity such as gender, class and ethnicity are reflected in the language forms of individuals. In addition, studies from a range of speech communities in this country and elsewhere will help students to understand the factors that contribute to the tension between high prestige, publicly validated forms of language and low-prestige, home and community based language forms, which are valued in private domains.