Language Sciences and Dialect VariationModule Details

Rationale
Language variation is important in language teaching because of its contribution to cultural values. This further stretches to the different ways of using the language, its functions or other aspects of language like vocabulary, pronunciation etc. It will provide an introduction to the role of variation in language system, and the techniques and concepts required to study the way language varies and changes, including geographically (geographical dialect), according to social context (social dialect), and across time that is, to the basic principles of sociolinguistics and language variation.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course students will be expected to:

i.    Explain the role variation plays in language systems.
ii.    Analyse variation in vernacular data and explain its systematic patterning.
iii.   Analyse the primary academic literature on how social categories affect language use.
iv.   Relate synchronic variation to models of language change.
v.    Apply a critical perspective on the social functions and values of dialects and vernacular language usage.
vi.   Identify the various language sciences and dialect variation.