Sociolinguistics. Discussion questions for seminar one:

Discussion questions for seminar one:

Answer questions at the end of chapters 1 and 3 in the book CAM.

Eble, Connie. Do you speak American? What is sociolinguistics? “Sociolinguistic basics, ” from the PBS special on sociolinguistics, MacNeil/Lehrer productions (2005). https://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/sociolinguistics/sociolinguistics/ (accessed March 20, 2007)

1. What is Eble’s definition of a dialect?
2. What are some dialects found in the U.S?
3. What are some variations found in the U.S?
4. How does vocabulary vary by region?
5. How do people adjust the way the talk in social situations?
6. Why does contact matter in sociolinguistics?
7. What do you think about this article? Was it a useful article? Why? Why not?

Algeo, John. Language Change. Language Myth #21. “Americans are ruining English, ” from the PBS special on sociolinguistics, MacNeil/Lehrer productions (2005). https://www.pbs.org/speak/ahead/change/ruining/ (accessed March 20, 2007)

1. How is America supposedly ruining English?
2. What is the history of American corruption of the English language?
3. How do some British scholars view American English?
4. What are some ways American and British English has changed?
5. Why does language change? How is change inevitable?
6. Do you think American and British English are two different languages or dialects?
7. Are Americans ruining English? What is your opinion?

***Crombie, William J, “Which comes first, language or thought? Babies think first.” Harvard University Gazette (2004). https://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/07.22/21-think.html (accessed March 20, 2007)

1. Which does the author say comes first, though or language?
2. How does the author say language affects our view of the world?
3. What does the author say about a baby’s distinction between categories?
4. What happens when the babies grow-up?
5. What does Paul Bloom say about a child’s sensitivity to distinctions?
6. What do you think this says about Chomsky’s ideas about universal grammar?
7. What do you think this says about Sapir-Whorf’s hypothesis about language and thought?
8. What do you think about Paul Bloom’s conclusions?

Wolfram, Walt. “Sociolinguistics.” Linguistic Society of America (2004) https://www.lsadc.org/info/ling-fields-socio.cfm (accessed March 20, 2007)

1. How does Wolfram describe sociolinguistics?
2. What do sociolinguists investigate?
3. What sorts of investigations might a sociolinguist make?

Kottack, Conrad Phillip, Anthropology: the Exploration of Human Diversity, Ch. 21 “Language.” McGraw Hill, Inc. 6^th ed. (1994) pp. 426-431.

1. What are the four main structures of language used to analyze language?
2. What is Transformational-Generative Grammar?
3. What is the universal grammar?
4. What is competence?
5. What is performance?
6. What is deep structure vs. surface structure?
7. What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
8. What are the main examples used to illustrate the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
9. What does the author say is the concern of sociolinguistics (pg 430)? What does he mean by this?
10. What is linguistic relativity? (look at the glossary on pg 442)
11. What do you think about the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
12. What do you think of Chomsky’s notions of transformational-generative grammar and universal grammar? Do you agree or disagree with his ideas? Why?

Wardhaugh, Ronald, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Ch. 6 “Regional and Social Variation.” Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 3^rd ed. (1992) pp 131-148.

1. What is a regional dialect?
2. What is dialect geography?
3. What is an isogloss?
4. What is a linguistic variable?
5. What is a social dialect?
6. How does social dialect relate to social class?
7. Do you see any of this in your own society? What are some examples?

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