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LING 414: Variation and Discourse Dr LING 414: Variation and Discourse Dr. Matt Ciscel * Carroll Hall 343 * (860) 832-2749 * [email protected] Objectives: In a nutshell, students will be able to... 1) Demonstrate familiarity with key terms and concepts from a wide range of sociolinguistic topics and subfields, including variation, contact linguistics, and discourse analysis. 2) Transcribe and analyze a short segment of audio-recorded natural discourse. 3) Complete a case study project that explores language variation and social identity. Textbooks: 1) Discourse Analysis by Barbara Johnstone (3rd Edition, 2018, Wiley-Blackwell, DA1 below means Chapter 1 in this book) 2) Identity and Dialect Performance by Reem Bassiouney (Routledge, 2018, ID1 below means Chapter 1 from this book) Assessment: Attendance and participation are assumed; weakness in either could weaken your grade. 20% Transcription of 5-minutes of Natural Discourse 20% One Discourse Analysis of the Transcription 30% Language Variation and Social Identity Paper (including an informal presentation) 30% Final Exam Schedule: Date and Topic Assignment (finish before class) Aug 29 – Introduction Sept 5 – Discourse, Transcription, and Methods Read DA1; Write Exercise Sept 12 – Discourse and Culture Read DA2; Record 30-minute discourse Sept 19 – Pragmatics and Performance Read DA3; Write Exercise Sept 26 – Mechanics of Discourse Read DA4; 10-minute Transcription Due Oct 3 – Participants and Agency Read DA5; Write Exercise Oct 10 – Interdiscursivity Read DA6; First DA Due Oct 17 – Dialect Performance Read ID1-3 Oct 24 – Discourse and Medium Read DA7&concl; Second DA Due Oct 31 – Identity in Varieties of English Read ID7,9,&14 Nov 7 – Some Issues in the EU Read ID5,12,&15; Paper Topic/Biblio Due Nov 14 – Language and Identity in Africa Read ID4,10,&17 Nov 21 – Thanksgiving Week NO CLASS (work your paper) Nov 28 – Middle East Identity and Variation Read ID6,11,&13 Dec 5 – Media in Middle East Identities Read ID16,18,&19; Paper Due Dec 12, 7:45-9:45pm – Final Exam Study! Transcription Task: This task will have two main parts: 1) Recording and Transcription: During the first few weeks of the semester, you will need to audio-record about 30 minutes of informal discourse (be sure to get informed consent from participants) and then complete a written transcription of an at least 10-minute continuous segment of the recorded discourse. You may be one of the participants. Be sure that the environment is quiet enough for a good recording and that there are not too many participants. I recommend using transcription software such as this web-based system: http://otranscribe.com/. A digital or magnetic copy of the audio recording must be turned in with the transcription on October 4. The transcription should roughly follow the Jeffersonian system and be accompanied by a paragraph or two introducing the participants and context, as well as a key for any symbols or conventions that vary from Jefferson (see handout). Include line-numbering on all pages of the transcription for easy reference during the subsequent analyses. 2) One Discourse Analysis of the Transcription: On the assigned date, you will turn in an 800- 1000 word, double-spaced essay analyzing one of the three aspects listed below with regard to your 5-minute transcription. This analysis should include your name, date, and assignment at the top, followed by exactly 700-800 words of prose, double-spaced, with an accurate word- count at the end. Use the line-numbering in the transcription to refer to specific structures or utterances. You might also refer to specific ideas from the assigned course readings. No other references are needed in these essays. You must write one analysi, choosing a narrow theme from among the following broad topics: 1. Variation in Discourse: Identify and discuss examples of sociolinguistic variability in the transcribed discourse. These could include syntactic (grammatical), morphological, lexical, or phonological variables, particularly those that vary from what you perceive to be standard or that “mark” a particular participant as belonging to a specific social or identity group (such as “non-native” speaker). In your discussion of this variability, you should also pay some attention to how variability contributes meaning to the discourse and identities to the participants. 2. Mechanics of Interaction: Focus on some of the mechanics of discourse and interaction by analyzing pauses, turn-taking, footing (stance/role), code-switching, co-indexation, and/or socialization processes. Here you are looking beyond words and grammar for other mechanics of the conventions that facilitate communication. In your discussion, you should note how patterns in interaction contribute to meaning and to the identities of participants. 3. Context in Discourse: For this topic, you will look beyond the transcribed words to identify the various ways that different contextual variables affect both discourse and meaning. Discuss the backgrounds and identities of the participants, the purposes for the discourse, the physical environment, the broad social and linguistic norms that provide discursive structure, and how contextualization conventions affect meaning. You could use the broad SPEAKING heuristic of Dell Hymes, a critical (e.g. Feminist) approach, or other analytical frameworks. Language Variation and Social Identity Paper: You will write a short research paper for this course using a case study approach (with one to five subjects) to address a specific language variable or set of variables and how they interact with self- and other-perceptions of social identity. The linguistic variable and identity issues should be limited to a particular community of linguistic practice (local rather than global). You must reference at least 2 relevant academic books or articles (web and other sources can be added as well, but 2 must be academic) in the paper. You will produce a formal paper with 8 to 12 pages in the body, double-spaced, normal fonts and margins, using APA, MLA, or LSA format. During the class when the paper is due (December 5), you will also be expected to present your ideas informally to a group for 5-10 minutes (no PowerPoint or handout needed). Final Exam: This will include some identification of key terms and people, plus some short answer questions and at least one short essay question. All material from the readings, lectures, and class discussions could appear on the exam. Regular attendance and active participation are the best way to prepare. Note the special time for the exam at 7:45pm (coffee not included). Short Written Exercises, Worksheets, and Assignments: You will note that there are some written assignments that go along with readings, as well as other short assignments on the syllabus. These and other short exercises or readings that might be added later are part of the participation expectations for the course, even though they will be collected and read by the professor only occasionally and never graded. The tasks will always contribute to the discussion in class, to the understanding of the content of the course, and, at times, as helpful practice toward later graded assignments (such as the discourse analyses). Always feel free to ask the professor about these if you have questions or to bring them up if there is something you would like to share during class time. Special Situations: Any student with a documented special need or disability should contact me as soon as possible. If you miss a class, get notes from a classmate and/or make an appointment to meet with me during office hours. Late work will generally be accepted, though graded down, but you should contact me beforehand if at all possible. If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. .
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