Sociolinguistics

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

François Provenzano

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

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 consists of a collective inquiry on a current topic in sociolinguistics.

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; - participate in a collective inquiry in sociolinguistics.

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

At first, lectures, with discussion between teacher and students. At the start of each session, students can ask questions about the preceding session.


Then, the course will proceed as a seminar, focused on the following current topic: inclusive writing and the debates on the feminization of language.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course

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

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam

Continuous assessment


Additional information:

Assessment will consist of an individual oral exam, based upon each of the two parts of the course: the "ex-cathedra" lessons, and the collective inquiry.
Participation in the collective inquiry will be taken into account on the global rating.

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 2022, 11AM.

Contacts

Teacher François PROVENZANO, Professor
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
Secretary Ariane Nusgens : 04 366 56 50