Duration
30h Th
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Sociolinguistics is a part of linguistic studies which task is to describe and explain actual language practices, in relation with sociological parameters. The course is designed as an introduction to the problems and methods specific to this field of study. It consists of three main parts, of varying importance. The first part sets out the brief story of prehistory, birth, and current developments in this recent discipline of sociolinguistics among the language sciences. The second part presents the main concepts of sociolinguistics, through three main problematic fields: social variation of language, contacts between languages, linguistic policies. The third part of the course compares students to specific disciplinary issues, through a written paper (see details below under "Planned learning activities").
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
By the end of the course, students will be able to: - recognise and understand the dynamic of the history of ideas, which saw the emergence of questioning the links between language and society, and particularly the emergence of sociolinguistics as a scientific discipline; - recognise the specificity of the sociolinguistic perspective of language and to identify the main problems of this point of view; - define the main concepts seen in class and apply them to simple cases; - themselves define a (simple) sociolinguistic problem and propose a clear and argued state of the art.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Good oral and written command of French. Knowledge of general linguistics would be an advantage.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Lectures, with discussion between teacher and students. At the start of each session, students can ask questions about the preceding session. The course anticipates no practical work sessions, but ends with a scientific piece of work conducted individually. The teacher will set an example to students of what is expected for this piece of work. This work consists in: - choosing a topic from the sociolinguistics field; - identifying at least two books / journals, or five papers related to the topic and published within a period of at least 10 years; - producing a state of the art, in a argued text between 15.000 and 20.000 characters. This state of the art will lead to concrete proposals for future research. The final version of the work is to provide to the teacher, in paper version (in the letter-box, 3rd floor of A2 building, in front of the lifts) AND in electronic version (Francois.Provenzano@ulg.ac.be), not later than 15 days before the date set for the oral examination. Students can consult the teacher at all stages of this work.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)
The major part of the course will be given in lecture form, including discussion between students and the teacher. At the start of each session, students can ask questions about preceding sessions. The final piece of work will be conducted individually by the students, who can consult the teacher during surgery hours (see below under "Contacts").
Recommended or required readings
No syllabus is proposed. Students will take notes in class; their presence is therefore compulsory. To complete their notes or to study an aspect of the subject in greater detail, students can turn to the following references, which are provided for information and will be commented upon during the first session.
BALIBAR (R.), L'Institution du français. Essai sur le colinguisme des carolingiens à la République, Paris, PUF, 1985.
BLANCHET (P.), La linguistique de terrain. Méthode et théorie. Une approche ethnosociolinguistique, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2000.
BOURDIEU (P.), Ce que parler veut dire. L'Economie des échanges linguistiques, Paris, Fayard, 1982.
BOYER (H.), Introduction à la sociolinguistique, Paris, Dunod, 2001.
CALVET (L-J.) & DUMONT (P.) (dir.), L'Enquête sociolinguistique, Paris, L'Harmattan, 1999.
LABOV (W.), Sociolinguistique [1972], Paris, Minuit, 1976.
MARCELLESI (J.-B.) & GARDIN (B.), Introduction à la sociolinguistique. La linguistique sociale, Paris, Larousse, "Langue et langage", 1974.
PROVENZANO (Fr.), Vies et mort de la francophonie. Une politique française de la langue et de la littérature, Bruxelles, Impressions nouvelles, 2011.
SANDRÉ (M.), Analyser les discours oraux, Paris, Armand Colin, 2013.
Assessment methods and criteria
Assessment will consist of two parts: 1) Written piece of work (see below). Assessment will take into account:- the originality and clarity in the choice and definition of the topic; - the relevance of the selected references; - the consistency of the speech and its loyalty to the shown contents; - the ability to develop a personal argumentation from a state of the art and to identify possible innovative research on the topic; - editorial and linguistic care. The rating for this part will be an appreciation letter (TI, I, S, D, GD, PGD), which will take about 50 PCTs in the final grade. 2) Oral examination: in two parts: a) questioning of encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of sociolinguistic thought and the problems and concepts associated with sociolinguistic analysis; b) discussion about the written piece of work.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
The course will take place on 2nd Term only, on Fridays, from 11AM to 1PM, classroom A2/6/11.
Resumption: Friday 11th February, 11AM.
Contacts
Teacher
François PROVENZANO, chargé de cours
Département de Langues et littératures françaises et romanes
Service de Sciences du langage et rhétorique
Place Cockerill, 3-5, bât. A2, 4000 Liège.
Tél. 04 366 56 45
Mail : Francois.Provenzano@ulg.ac.be
Surgery hours: Wednesdays, from 9.30 to 11, office A2/4/4 (from September 19)
Secretary
Ariane Nusgens : 04 366 56 50