Sociolinguistics

The course is devoted to the students’ familiarization and sensitization on areas which are included in the study of language in social context. Focus is made on students’ awareness about sociolinguistics variation (both social and geographical), language and social interaction, language shift and contact, language policy and planning. A special interest of the course is placed on the implications of sociolinguistics’ principles and conclusions on language teaching practice.

Objectives

Aim: The course is oriented towards the students’ familiarization and sensitization on areas included in the study of language in social context. Focus is given on awareness of the students about sociolinguistics variation (both social and geographical), language and social interaction, language shift and contact, language policy and planning. The course is particularly interested by the implications of sociolinguistics’ principles and conclusions on language teaching practice.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.

Syllabus

Sociolinguistics may be considered as “anti-linguistics” but has also several meeting points with mainstream linguistics. Some of the topics discussed are: the scope of sociolinguistics; sociolinguistic variation (horizontal and vertical); functional varieties and communication situation; diglossia and the Greek language “question”; bilingualism, multilingualism, language contact and codeswitching; language policy; linguistic attitudes. In the second part, sociolinguistics goes to school: linguistic inequality, inadequacy, discontinuity; Critical language teaching; development of language awareness.