Syllabus and Reading List Spring 2018

Language and Culture                             Spring 2018

ANTH 2152                                       
T/Th 8:30-10:20
Professor Laurie Greene                          
Room: C102    

Contact Information:

Office Hours: T/Th 10:30-12:20

Office: C107

Email: laurie.greene@stockton.edu (put “ANTH 2152” in subject line)

Texts:

Ahearn, Laura M. (2012). Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology:

 (Wiley-Blackwell Publishers).          

Schaller, Susan. A Man Without Words (1995) (University of California Press)
*Other Articles posted on Blackboard or on Blog :)

Syllabus and Reading List:

            What I have presented here is a “plan” for how we will cover the material in this course. In actuality, each section may take slightly more or less time to cover in class. I reserve the right to alter this syllabus in response to the demands of the course. (ALTHOUGH I WILL TRY MY BEST NOT TO). Please make sure that you know exactly when readings and assignments are due throughout the semester.  It is YOUR responsibility to keep up with any changes to this syllabus. Assignments should be turned in on time in class. Do not email assignments without special permission.

            The learning objectives for this course are:

• Students will understand and be able to discuss the debates surrounding the relationship between language and culture. 
• Students will understand the nature of symbols and that language is the largest and most basic symbolic system in culture.
• Since CULTURE and LANGUAGE are sometimes viewed as the distinguishing traits of humanity, students will debate the nature of human language as compared to animal communication 
• Students will understand how language performs important social roles including expressions of social and cultural identity.

I.       Introduction: Language: some basic questions? (1/16-1/18)

Definitions
Language as Part of Culture
Speech Communities and Communities of Practice
        READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 1

• FILM: American Tongues (1/18) (link)

II.  What is Human Language? A Man Without Words? (1/23-1/25)

READINGS:    Schaller, Book (see reading guide on blog)

What do we know when we “know” a language?

Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics 

            paralinguistics

            nonverbal communication

                        Kinesics

Proxemics

Microsignals

Time

Silence

            Manual languages

DUE: What is it to Have Language? Reaction paper -Schaller (1/25)

III. The Research Process in Linguistic Anthropology (1/30-2/1)

             READINGS:    Ahearn, Chapters 2 (1/30)           

IV.  Language Acquisition and Socialization: (2/6-2/8)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapters 3 (2/6) 
                                            Ochs & Schiefffelin- "Language Acquisition and 
                                                        Socialization:...(Link) (2/8)                 

            

V.   Language Thought and Culture: Sapir/Whorf and Beyond (2/13-2/15)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 4 (2/13)

Relationship Between Language & Culture: Exploring the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

DUE: Ethnographic Project -My Idiolect (2/13)

VI.  Communities of Language Users  (2/20-2/22)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 5 (2/20)    
                                            LeMaster & Monaghan, "Variation in Sign Languages" (pdf)

            Speech Communities, Speech Networks, Communities of Practice

VII. Multilingualism & Globalization: (2/27-3/1)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 6 (2/27)
                                            Vice, People of Color Talk About Code Switching (link)
                                            The Economist: Code-Switching (link)
                                            Collins (link)

            Multilingualism

            Code Switching and Mixing

            Diglossia (Ferguson)

VIII. Literacy Practices & Poetics (3/6-3-8)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 7 (3/6)

            Orthography

            Literary genres

            Literacy, Codification & Education

            Language Policy & Practice

DUE: Ethnographic Project on Language and Identity (3/8)

IX. Performance, Performativity & Community Constitution: (3/20-3/22)

             READINGS:   Ahearn, Chapter 8 (3/20)

Communities and Gender Performance

NO CLASS Tuesday, March 27th--- Advising Day!

FILM: He Said, She Said (3/29)

X. Language and Gender: (4/3-4/5)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 9 (4/3)
                                            Cameron (link)

            Gendered Language Across Cultures?

            Gender Preferential versus Gender Exclusive Language

XI. Language: Race, Class, & Ethnicity (4/10-4/12)

             READINGS:     Ahearn, Chapter 10 (4/10)
                                            Lipski, Spanglish... (link)

                                            "The Only One in the Room" (link) & Key & Peale (link)

            Speech Communities, Speech Networks, Communities of Practice

            Non-Standard Codes in Education

            Black English & the “Ebonics” Controversy

            Spanish Versus Spanglish in Puerto Rican Identity

            Bernstein: Elaborated & Restricted Code 

XII. Language Death & Revitalization: The Politics of Language (4/17-4/19)

             READINGS: Ahearn, Chapters 11 (4/17)

                                 -Attrition, Death, Revitalization
                                  - Creole Languages and Language Change (4/19)
DUE:Community of Practice: Race and Ethnicity (4/17)

FILM: The Linguists  4/24

XIII.Language, Power & Agency (4/26)

             READINGS: Ahearn, Chapters 12 (4/26)
                                        Dor, Englishization & Imposed Multiliongualism (link)
                                        "The Language Gap" (link)

Language & Status (English Only Movement)

Occupational Settings

            Medical

            Legal

            Media/Advertising

Language and Politics

DUE: Reflective Essay: Language and Racism in the Public Sector (4/26)

Requirements:

·         Class Attendance & Participation……………….……………20%

·         Community of Practice Final Paper………….………………40%

·         2 Other Assignments……………............……………………..…40%

Goals:

            The goals of this course are three: (1) to introduce the field of sociolinguistics, (2) to discuss the nature of the relationship between language and culture, and (3) to explore the dynamics of intercultural communication and its attendant policy implications in today’s world. This course is expansive in scope and therefore requires a certain amount of reading, both assigned and independently, some of it theoretical. Please make sure that you attend class (mandatory), that you have read the material, and you are prepared to critically discuss it. Ahearn provides you with many ethnographic examples as illustrations of her theoretical and descriptive points along with references to illustrative studies. CLASS PARTICIPATION is very important. I expect that you will be DISCUSSING and CHALLENGING the perspectives presented in class “lectures”. 

You will also be required to complete FOUR “HANDS –ON-PROJECTS” throughout the course of the semester. The benefit of these assignments comes from performing them, and they will often require you to think creatively. 

Finally, there will be THREE “DEBATES” as part of a team and write three position papers independently. We will go over how to construct these position papers and how to carry out a successful debate. Debates are meant to be fun, spirited and a real learning process. You will be REQUIRED to PRESENT at least one of these debates as a team member. Debating and the crafting of position papers will allow you to enhance the persuasive content of your writing in the following ways:

__demonstrate a strong belief in position

__understand the perspective of your audience

__anticipate and handle all reasonable objections

__argue respectfully

__support opinions with ample detail

__assert positions with clarity

__use credible and effective evidence to sustain arguments

__demonstrate thoroughness by dealing with relevant aspects of a given issue

__occasionally succeed in changing some people’s minds!

*There are also fabulous prizes awarded to the winning team.

Failure to complete one assignment will result in a final course grade of “B”, failure to complete two assignments, a “C”, failure to complete three assignments, a “D”. If you fail to turn in four assignments you will NOT PASS THIS CLASS, regardless of your overall grade average. So, do them!

As stated, attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend 4 classes (without a damn good excuse) will result in failure in this course. Damn good excuses:

Do not be afraid !!! You will in all likelihood survive this class and go on to live long and fulfilling lives.