Language in Society (Winter 2010 Syllabus)

Adam Hodges, Stanford University

Abstract

In this course, we will examine how language and society affect each other. We will place a significant focus on language use in our own society to explore regional and social differences in speech. We will examine the attitudes and ideologies people have about languages, language varieties, and their speakers (e.g. issues of prestige and stigma). We will explore how speakers use language to construct identities and interact with different audiences. And we will examine how language itself often becomes a political issue (e.g. in debates over language and education). The course will use a mixture of lectures, class discussions, and student presentations as we explore these issues.