Programme of Study Catalogue

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate understanding of the concept of 'Standard English' and of different perspectives on language variation and change.
Demonstrate awareness of the history and methods of the study of dialects.
Analyse and discuss examples of language variation and change and relate these to their social context.
Use appropriate sources to access recent research and debate, and present a case study of research on a relevant chosen topic.

Content:

This module builds on the skills and understanding developed through ENG 4632 Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics 1 and ENG 5602 Research Methods for Linguistics to provide students with the opportunity for more detailed and systematic study of how language use interacts with social context and identity. A major focus at this level will be on language variation and language change. Students will explore the history and methods of the study of dialect, using audio and other resources; they will then go on to explore the concept of 'Standard English' and its applications in society, and debates around language change.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The main form of teaching session will be the seminar, where concepts and skills will be introduced by the lecturer and learned through practical application - specific tasks, problem-solving, discussion and collaborative close reading of texts, with regular provision of formative feedback on those activities. There will be two two-hour seminars each week. Additional resources and support for guided independent study will be provided via Moodle and through availability of weekly staff drop-in times for advice, clarification, discussion of assignment plans, etc.

Seminars
Hours: 40
Intended Group Size: 15

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Further details relating to assessment
For the Presentation, students will choose two recent journal articles on language variation and change, and present reports on this research and its implications. For the Essay assignment, they will discuss a more general issue, based on a broader synthesis of published research.

Assessment:

001 Presentation; 10 Minutes; Mid-Semester Two 30%
002 Essay; 3,000 words; End of Semester Two 70%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Jessica Bradley
Level - 5
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5S2