Sociolinguistics

Code:

CL025

Acronym:

SOCLIN

Instance: 2020/2021 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Portuguese and Romance Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Language Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CL	15	CL - Study Plan	3	-	6	4

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students
Obs.: Português

Objectives

The objectives of this CU are to lead the students to:

Recognize the various aspects of the relation between language and society;

Identify the factors of variation;

Recognize the situational factors and the language registers;

Acquire analytical methodologies of the socioverbal interaction.

Learning outcomes and competences

By the end of the semester, the students should be able to:

Recognize aspects of the relation between language and society;

Identify the factors of variation and the linguistic varieties;

Understand the linguistic varieties as a trace of the relationship between language and speaker; language and context of use; language and society;

Identify the situational factors and the language registers;

Recognize the basic concepts and theoretical principles for examining the sociolinguistic phenomena;

Distinguish the different methodologies developed in Sociolinguistics;

Practice the analysis of language in social contexts;

Apply analytical methodologies of the socioverbal interaction to authentic discourses;

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Not applicable

Program

1. From Linguistics to Sociolinguistics: key theoretical and methodological concepts

2. Variational Sociolinguistics

2.1 Norm and Usage/ Norm and Variation

2.2 Synchronic variation

2.2.1 Language and Society

2.2.1.1 Social varieties: linguistic variants and dependent and independent variables; stable variation and ongoing change

2.2.2 Language and Geography

2.2.2.1 Geographical varieties or dialects

2.2.3 Language and Situation

2.2.3.1 Language registers

2.2.3.2 Linguistic competence and communicative competence

2.2.3.3 Determinism; controllability; linguistic insecurity; linguistic hypercorrection

2.2.4 Systematic variation - William Labov

2.3 Diachronic variation

2.3.1 Linguistic change

3. Interactional Sociolinguistics

3.1 Allocution and interlocution: sociolinguistic interaction

3.2 Sociolinguistic interaction and face work

3.3 Linguistic politeness: positive politeness and negative politeness

Mandatory literature

FERREIRA, Manuela B. e outros; “Variação linguística: perspectiva dialectológica” in Faria, I. H. e outros (orgs) Introdução à Linguística Geral e Portuguesa, 1996
GARMADI, Juliette; Introdução à Sociolinguística, 1989
JOOS, Martin; “The Isolation of Styles” in FISHMAN, Joshua (ed.), Readings in the Sociology of Language, 1968
Labov, William ; Padrões sociolinguísticos, Parábola Editorial, 2008
Mollica, Maria Cecília e Braga, Maria Luiza (orgs); Introdução à Sociolinguísica: o tratamento da variação, Contexto, 2004
MARQUES, M.E.; Sociolinguística, Universidade Aberta, 1995
PEDRO, Emília, Ribeiro; “Interacção verbal” in Faria, I. H. e outros (orgs) Introdução à Linguística Geral e Portuguesa, 1996
GOFFMAN, Erving; The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Doubleday Anchor Books, Doubleday & Company., 1959
KERBRAT-ORECCHIONI, Catherine; Análise da Conversação, princípios e métodos(Tradução de La Conversation. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1996)., São Paulo, Parábola Editorial, Coleção Na Ponta da Língua, nº 16., 2006

Complementary Bibliography

Calvet, Jean-Louis; Sociolinguística: uma introdução crítica, Parábola, 2011
COUPLAND, Nikolas and JAWORSKI, Adam; Sociolinguistics : a reader and coursebook, 1999
FISHMAN, Joshua; Sociolinguistics, 1972
BAYLON, Christian; Sociolinguistique – Société, Langue et Discours, 1991
BOYER, Henry; Eléments de Sociolinguistique – Langue, Communication et Société, 1991
CARVALHO, José Herculano de; “Individualidade e interindividualidade do saber linguístico”, Teoria da Linguagem, vol I, 1967
LESLEY, Milroy and GORDON, Matthew; Sociolinguistics: method and interpretation, 2003
LABOV, William; Sociolinguistique, 1976

Comments from the literature

Aditional bibliographical notes will be given during classes. The materials used in classes are available in Sigarra.

Teaching methods and learning activities

The teaching / learning process is based on lectures (13h), theoretical and practical classes (26h) and tutorials (13h). In Lectures and TP sessions the theoretical description of contents is made, followed by practical activities. In the OT sessions case studies related to the matters under consideration are proposed. The materials used in class are available on Sigarra.

The mode of evaluation of the course consists of assessment with final exam. The final grade for the course corresponds to a weighted average of the marks obtained in the practical work and the written test, with weights of 40% and 60%, respectively.

There is a compulsory 75% attendance.

The research work should be based on theoretical readings, but also contain a practical component of case study.

The activities are focussed on acquiring linguistic methodologies for a competent analysis of sociolinguistic phenomena.   

 

keywords

Humanities > language sciences > Linguistics > Sociolinguistics

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Teste	60,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	52,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Trabalho de campo	54,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Positive evaluation on the test / examination and on the research work.

The research work is object of defense in an oral session scheduled by the teacher.
The classification of the research work results from a weighted average between the written component and oral presentation of each student, and may therefore diverge within the same working group.

Calculation formula of final grade

Test: 60%
Research paper: 40%
Examination (applicable to special cases): 60%

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Internship work/project

Not applicable

 

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

In accordance with the Assessment Regulations in force.

Classification improvement

In accordance with the Assessment Regulations in force. 

The component "evaluation test" or exam can be subject to grade improvement.

Observations

Teaching language: Portuguese.