Intro to Sociolinguistics
Introduction to Sociolinguistics In this course, we will explore the ways that language creates and reflects social identities. We will look at the contextual factors-social, cultural, geographical, political, etc.-that impact language use and variation. Themes for this course will include linguistic variation, language and identity, language policy, and language in the media. We will consider questions such as: What distinguishes a language from a dialect? How and why do some language varieties become privileged? How do notions of politeness and respect vary across linguistic contexts? In essence, we will learn how language shapes our world, and how we shape language itself.
Introduction to Sociolinguistics In this course, we will explore the ways that language creates and reflects social identities. We will look at the contextual factors-social, cultural, geographical, political, etc.-that impact language use and variation. Themes for this course will include linguistic variation, language and identity, language policy, and language in the media. We will consider questions such as: What distinguishes a language from a dialect? How and why do some language varieties become privileged? How do notions of politeness and respect vary across linguistic contexts? …Read more
I took this class for the minor and really enjoyed it since it was at a super relaxed pace but the topics were really interesting! Homework is mostly just readings, and our two quizzes were open note.
Professor Shapiro is such an amazing and passionate teacher, she puts all her energy into this course. The course is very interesting with concepts that connect to everyday activities. The class never felt heavy, but you do have to put in the work to get a good grade, but Shapiro is always there to help you out.
Shawna is a fantastic teacher, and this class is no exception. It is a great intro to sociolinguistics with a good balance of learning basic terms/concepts and applying those in your own projects. Not too much reading, and exams are very straightforward. Also a plus that there are no textbooks required.
Shawna is so kind and caring. She ensures that everyone understands the content she teaches and will make changes to the entire course to accommodate the general student need. She makes her lectures easy to digest, though she does talk really fast! It's actually p impressive
Shawna is an amazing and pedagogically creative teacher. This class was super easy, light on readings, and I genuinely enjoyed the projects and papers. This class was never a source of stress and always something I looked forward too. She also brings in candy/other treats to class on a fairly regular basis so... Maybe not the most intellectually stimulating class I've ever taken but certainly one I would take again.
Shawna is an amazing and pedagogically creative teacher. This class was super easy, light on readings, and I genuinely enjoyed the projects and papers. This class was never a source of stress and always something I looked forward too. She also brings in candy/other treats to class on a fairly regular basis so... Maybe not the most in …Read more
This course was very interesting and required very little effort. The readings were light and they were easy to understand and were also quite intriguing. Shawna was super understanding and seemed very enthusiastic about the subject matter.