Spanish Language in Contexts

Catalog description

This course focuses on developing students' pragmatic competence in Spanish, or knowledge of how to use the language appropriately in different social contexts. Even with advanced linguistic proficiency, we can experience breakdowns in communication or even offend others if we are unaware of the cultural norms and perspectives that govern how to use linguistic forms appropriately in different situations. Thus, the objective of this course is to equip students with the linguistic and cultural knowledge they need to use Spanish appropriately in real and meaningful contexts. To do so, students will analyze how culturally-confined politeness norms, contextual elements, and speakers' identities impact how language is used to carry out different speech acts such as requests, invitations, and apologies, among others. Furthermore, students will compare variation in pragmatic norms among different Spanish and American English-speaking communities and reflect upon how cultural perspectives and identities influence how we do things with words. Prerequisite: three courses from the following: SPA 302 , SPA 307 , SPA 309 , SPA 310 , SPA 312 , SPA 322 , SPA 323 , SPA 325 , SPA 332 , SPA 333 , SPA 335 . Offered Occasionally.