American Dialects
seminar for 2nd through 5th year students
Instructor: Dr. Anna Fenyvesi
Prerequisite: One course in sociolinguistics
Course description:
After a general discussion of such problems as, for instance, why languages have dialects, the past, present and future of American English dialects will be examined. Regional, social and ethnic dialects will be surveyed as well as gender and language variation, plus the controversial issue of teaching Standard English in American schools.
Requirements:
- 2 reading reports (2-3 pages, at 10% each, total of 20%)
- Myth report (5 min. class presentation, 10%)
- group report (30 min. class presentation + handout, 25%)
- final exam (40%)
- attendance and participation (5%)
Required reading:
- Wolfram, Walt, & Natalie Schilling-Estes. 1998. American English: Dialects and variation. Oxford: Blackwell.
(Copies are available at the Institute library and the Irinyi copy center)
Suggested supplementary readings:
- Bauer, Laurie, & Peter Trudgill, eds. 1998. Language myths. London: Penguin. (Available at the Institute library)
- Kretzschmar, William A., Jr., ed. 1993. Handbook of the Linguistic Atlas of the Middle and South Atlantic States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Available at the ELTEAL library)
Grading:
- 89 - 100%: excellent (5)
- 76 - 88%: good (4)
- 63 - 75%: average (3)
- 51 - 62%: pass (2)
- 0 - 50%: fail (1)
Schedule:
- Week 1: Introduction - Reading: Ch 1 "The reality of dialects"
- Week 2: Why do languages have dialects? - Reading: Ch 2; Myths 20, 3
- Week 3: Levels of dialect - Reading: Ch 3; Myths 21, 17
- Week 4: Dialects in the US: Past, present and future - Reading: Ch 4; Myths 9, 11 - Due: reading report on LAMSAS Handbook
- Week 5: Regional dialects - Reading: Ch 5; Myths 8, 12
- Week 6: Social and ethnic dialects - Reading: Ch 6; Myth 13
- Week 7: Gender and language variation - Reading: Ch 7; Myth 6 - Due: reading report 2 (on any article or book chapter)
- Week 8: On the applications of dialect study - Reading: Ch 10; Myth 15
- Week 9: FINAL EXAM
- Week 10: Group reports
- Week 11: Conclusion
Group report topics:
- 1. Black English
- 2. Change in American English
- 3. Pidgins and creoles in the US
Most important web-sites about American dialects:
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