(Cross-listed as SOAN 040B)

This is an introductory survey course which examines the interaction between language and society. Sociolinguistics looks at how language varies (or changes) over time and/or according to factors such as region, age  etc.; the social function of language (e.g. marking identity); and attitudes and perceptions held about language, among other issues. Our primary aim is to (begin to) understand how language shapes and is shaped by the world we live in. From a critical perspective, we will explore various approaches to studying language and social context. Some topics to be covered include: variationist sociolinguistics, qualitative approaches, multilingual speech, language and identity, language and race, linguistic ideologies and research and data ethics. Students will gain hands-on experience working with data.