Language and Culture Fall 2016
ANTH 2152 T/Th 12:30-2:20
Professor Laurie Greene Room: F207
Contact Information:
Office Hours: T/Th 10:30-12:20
Office: C107
Texts:
(1) Smitherman, Geneva (2012). Articulate While Black, Oxford
University Press.
(2) Schaller, Susan (2012) A Man Without Words, University
of California Press.
(3) Lippi-Green, Rosina (1997). English With An Accent,
Routledge.
Articles on Gender (some of these):
(1) Tannen, Deborah () "Different Words, Different
Worlds"
(2) Tannen, Deborah () "Fighting For Our Lives"
(3) Lakoff, Robin () Language and A Woman's Place
(4) Fishman, Pamela () Conversational Insecurity
(5) Matz & Borker () Child's Play
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
objective for this course is to give you an overview of the relationship
between language and culture, a central concern in anthropology. Language is
the largest and most basic symbolic system in culture, and CULTURE and LANGUAGE
are sometimes viewed as the distinguishing traits of humanity. Humans, it is
suggested are the only living beings to possess and use both.
In an effort to make this course as relevant and interesting as possible, and also enable you to understand the important applications of anthropological knowledge and analysis in our lives, we will be using language and cultural variation the United States as our focus for exemplification of the theories presented this semester.
I. Introduction:
Language: some basic questions (9/6-9/8)
Sociolinguistics & Linguistic Anthropology
Language Variation & Change
Written Versus
"Spoken" Language
Definitions
Definitions
-What do we know when we “know” a language?
Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics
paralinguistics
nonverbal
communication
Kinesics
Proxemics
Microsignals
Time
Silence
Manual
languages
Language as Part of Culture
READINGS: Lippi-Greene, Chapter
1 (9/6-9/8)
FILM: American Tongues (9/8)
II. Is Language
Uniquely Human? (9/13-9/150
Primates & Language
Language Learning or Language
Acquisition
Critical Age Hypothesis
Languageless? Or
Dialectless?
Deaf Culture/Deaf Language
ASL
The
Tyranny of "Orality"
"Visual Thinking" and "Visual Culture"
READINGS: Schaller, A
Man Without Words
III. Language & Variation (9/20-9/22)
Language in Motion (9/20)
-Language
-Accent
-Dialect
The Myth of the "non-accent" (9/22)
READINGS: Lippi-Green,
Chapters 2-3
IV. Standard Languages & Nonstandard Languages:
Language and Power (9/27-9/29)
Standard Languages and Power of Literacy (SAE)
Nonstandard Dialects and the Myth of Bad English
Grammar & Spelling as Tools of Oppression?
READINGS: Lippi-Green,
Chapters 4-5
DUE: MY IDIOLECT (9/29)
V.
Language Learning & Education (10/4-10/6)
Language Learning and
Language Acquisition
Literacy versus Communication Skills
Bilingual/Bicultural Education
Literacy versus Communication Skills
Bilingual/Bicultural Education
READINGS: Lippi-Green, Chapter 6 (10/4)
Other people's Children (10/6)
VI.
Language & The Media: Fairytales to News Briefs (10/11-10/13)
Disney Films
The Information Industry
Propaganda, Opinion & Spin
The Information Industry
Propaganda, Opinion & Spin
READINGS: Lippi-Green, Chapters 7-8 (10/11-13)
VII.
Political Language/The Language of Racism (10/18-10/20)
Language, Race &
Ethnic Group
Code
Switching and Mixing
READINGS: Smitherman Book (10/18-20)
NO CLASS Tuesday, October 25th Advising Day!
VIII. Language
& Race (10/27)
The
Real Trouble with Black Language
Ebonics
Debate/Language, Race & Education
Literacy,
Codification & Education
Language
Policy & Practice
READINGS: Lippi-Green, Chapter 10 & 16 (10/27)
FILM: The N Word (10/27)
IX. Language
& Geography (11/1-11/3)
Southern English
Pidgins & Creoles
Hawaiian Creoles
READINGS: Lippi-Green, Chapter
11 & 12
X. Language
& Gender (11/8-11/10)
Gender
Preferential versus Gender Exclusive Language
Gendered Language Across
Cultures?
READINGS: Blackboard
Articles Linked (11/8)
FILM: He Said, She Said (11/10)
XI.
Immigrant Varieties/Immigrant Invasion (11/15-11/17)
Spanish &
Spanglish
READINGS: Lippi-Green,
Chapter 14
XII.
Asian Americans & Asian English (11/22)
READINGS: Lippi-Green Chapters 15 (11/22)
NO CLASS THURSDAY, November 24th, Thanksgiving Holiday
XIII. Language & Nation (11/29-12/1)
Language & Status (English Only Movement)
Occupational Settings
Medical
Legal
Media/Advertising
Language and Politics
READINGS: Lippi-Green, Chapter 13 (11/29)
XIV. Linguistic
Profiling & Civil Disobedience (12/6-12/8)
Language in the Workplace
Linguistic Profiling & Protected
Groups
Language & The Law
READINGS: Lippi-Green,
Chapters 17 &18
Finish Up work (clean-up!!!!) and Prepare for final Debates (12/2)
FINAL EXAM, THURSDAY DECEMBER
15, 10:30
Requirements:
· Class
Attendance & Participation……………….……………10%
· 5
Ethnographic Projects ………….……………….……………..50%
· 1
Essay on Political Speech…………………………………..…15%
· 1
Final Exam…………………………………………………………….25%
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. (4) To understand the nature of language
and inequality
Please make sure that you attend class (mandatory), that
you have read the material, and you are prepared to critically discuss it. 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 FIVE “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 a more thorough analysis of political
speech during this critical period in an election year. This focus and the
essay assignment that derives from it is meant to both illustrate the
importance of the sociolinguistic and anthropological perspective, and also to
allow you to understand political rhetoric and engage more fully in the
political process. An educated electorate makes for a better functioning
democracy.
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:
- Real Illness accompanied by a
Doctor’s Note
- Actual Death in the Family
- Other Unfortunate Events which
make it impossible to come to class
Do not be afraid !!! You will in all likelihood survive this
class and go on to live long and fulfilling lives.
