The study of Sociolinguistics looks at how languages function socially, how individuals and particular social groups actually use language and what message it conveys about them/us. Sometimes our social prestige and power is determined by the way we interact with others. In the same way, our language is sometimes determined by our occupational roles and by our ways of upbringing. Language teachers are inextricably involved in these interactions as attitude towards the target language culture is a very important component in determining the learners’ rate of success in the language pursued.
In this course, we will explore different sociolinguistic phenomena and their impact on deciding different social status and roles. We will also try to examine how the knowledge of sociolinguistics especially of the development of dialects, language change and process of standardization can influence the choice of particular languages in particular social transactions. We will investigate our own linguistic practices in relation to our social settings. There will be in class discussions, forum discussions and debates over various exciting issues of Sociolinguistics.
- Teacher: Rabeya Binte Habib