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Sociolinguistics
Semester I (2023-2024)

Instructor: Phuong Nguyen Ph.D.

Office Hours: By appointment | Email: phuongntm@hcmue.edu.vn
Readings and Materials
Required:

[1] Holmes, J. (2017). An introduction to sociolinguistics (5th ed.). Routledge. Link

Additional Materials for References

[2] Wodak, R., Johnstone, B., & Kerswill, P. E. (2011). The SAGE handbook of sociolinguistics. Sage
Publications.

[3] Mesthrie, R. (Ed.). (2018). The Cambridge handbook of sociolinguistics. Cambridge University Press.

[4] Gregory, M., & Carroll, S. (2018). Language and situation: Language varieties and their social contexts.
Routledge.

[5] Purdue Writing Lab. (n.d.). Purdue OWL // Purdue Writing Lab. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html
[6] iThenticate [Computer software]. Retrieved from https://www.ithenticate.com
.

Due Dates and Point Distribution

Note: Assignments and course discussion participation are generally due on Sundays @ 11:59PM.

Grade Component Due Date %

Group Presentation (60 minutes/ each) By registration 20%
Quiz (15 minutes) Week 6 (Oct. 9 – 15) 10% 20%
14 class discussion By Sunday midnight of each 10%
week
Final exam 60%
Total = 100%

Schedule
Date Topic Explore and Apply Readings
Module 1: What do sociolinguists study?
Week 1 1.1. What is a sociolinguist?  Syllabus Introduction  [1] Chapter 1,
Sept. 4-10 1.2. Why do we say the same thing in  Group Registration  [2] Chapter 1, [3]

Note. Information contained in this syllabus is subject to change without notice. The instructor holds the right to make amendments to course
assignments and due dates. Students are expected to be aware of any additional course policies presented by the instructor during the course.
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Date Topic Explore and Apply Readings
different ways?  Class discussion 1 Chapter 1, [4] Chapter
1.3. What are the different ways we say 1
things?
1.4. Social factors, dimensions, and
explanations
Module 2: Multilingual speech communities
Week 2 2.1. Language choice in  Class discussion 2  [1] Chapter 2,
Sept. 11-17 multilingual communities  [2] Chapter 3, [3]
2.1.1. Choosing your variety or code Chapter 7
2.1.2. Diglossia
2.1.3. Code- switching or code- mixing
and translanguaging
Weel 3 2.2. Language maintenance  Class discussion 3  [1] Chapter 3,
Sept. 18 - and shift  [3] Chapter 18
24 2.2.1. Language shift in different
communities
2.2.2. Language death and language
loss
2.2.3. Factors contributing to
language shift
2.2.4. How can a minority language be
maintained?
2.2.5. Language revival
Week 4 2.3. Linguistic varieties and  Class discussion 4  [1] Chapter 4,
Sept. 25- multilingual nations  [2] Chapter 30
Oct. 1 2.3.1. Vernacular languages
2.3.2. Standard languages
2.3.3. Lingua franca
2.3.4. Pidgins and creoles
Week 5 2.4. National languages, language  Group 1 presentation  [1] Chapter 5,
Oct. 2 - 8 policy, and language planning  Class discussion 5  [2] Chapter 32
2.4.1. National and official languages
2.4.2. Planning for a national official
language
2.4.3. Linguistic landscapes in social
and political context
2.4.4. The linguist’s role in language
planning
Module 3: Language variation: focus on users
Week 6 3.1. Regional and social dialects  Quiz 1 (covers  [1] Chapter 6
Oct. 9 - 15 3.1.1. Regional variation Modules 1-2)  [3] Chapter 11, 12, [4]
3.1.2. Social variation  Group 2 Chapter 2
3.1.3. Social dialects presentation
 Class discussion 6
Week 7 3.2. Gender and age  Class Discussion 7  [1] Chapter 7,
Oct. 16 – 3.2.1. Gender and social class  [2] Chapter 28
22 3.2.2. Explanations for women’s
ONLINE linguistic behaviour

Note. Information contained in this syllabus is subject to change without notice. The instructor holds the right to make amendments to course
assignments and due dates. Students are expected to be aware of any additional course policies presented by the instructor during the course.
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Date Topic Explore and Apply Readings
3.2.3. Age- graded features of speech
3.2.4. Age and social dialect data
Week 8 3.3. Ethnicity and social networks  Group 3 presentation  [1] Chapter 8
Oct. 23 - 3.3.1. Ethnicity  Class Discussion 8  [2] Chapter 15
29 3.3.2. Social networks
Week 9 3.4. Language change  Group 4 presentation  [1] Chapter 9
Oct. 30 – 3.4.1. How do language changes  Class Discussion 9  [2] Chapter 2
Nov. 5 spread?
3.4.2. Reasons for language change
Module 4: Language variation: focus on uses
Week 10 4.1. Style, context, and register  Group 5 presentation  [1] Chapter 10,
Nov. 6-12 4.1.1. Addressee as an influence on  Class Discussion 10  [2] Chapter 14, [4]
style Chapter 8, 6
4.1.2. Accommodation theory
4.1.3. Context, style, and social class
4.1.4. Style in non- English speaking
societies
4.1.5. Register
Week 11 4.2. Speech functions, politeness,  Group 6 presentation  [1] Chapter 11
Nov 13 - 19 and cross- cultural communication  Class Discussion 11  [3] Chapter 7
4.2.1. The functions of speech
4.2.2. Politeness and address forms
4.2.3. Linguistic politeness in
different cultures
Week 12 4.3. Gender, politeness,  Group 7 presentation  [1] Chapter 12
Nov 20 -26 and stereotypes  Class Discussion 12  [2] Chapter 28
4.3.1. “Women’s language” and
confidence
4.3.2. Interaction
4.3.3. Gossip
4.3.4. The linguistic construction of
gender identity
4.3.5. The linguistic construction of
sexuality
Week 13 4.4. Language, cognition,  Group 8 presentation  [1] Chapter 13,
Nov 27- and culture  Class Discussion 13  [3] Chapter 10, [4] Chapter
Dec.3 4.3.1. Language and perception 4
4.3.2. Linguistic categories and
culture
4.3.3. Discourse patterns and culture
4.3.4. Language, social class, and
cognition
Module 5: E-Learning Assessment and Evaluation
Week 14 4.5. Analysing discourse  Group 9 presentation  [1] Chapter 14,
Dec. 4-10 4.5.1. Pragmatics and politeness  Class Discussion 14  [2] Chapter 24, 26, [4]
theory Chapter 4
4.5.2. Interactional sociolinguistics
4.5.3. Ethnography of speaking

Note. Information contained in this syllabus is subject to change without notice. The instructor holds the right to make amendments to course
assignments and due dates. Students are expected to be aware of any additional course policies presented by the instructor during the course.
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Date Topic Explore and Apply Readings
4.5.4. Conversation Analysis (CA)
Week 15 4.6. Attitudes and applications  Group 10  [1] Chapter 15,
Dec. 11 – 4.6.1. Attitudes to language presentation  [2] Chapter 36, 39
15 4.6.2. Sociolinguistics and education  Class Discussion 15
4.6.3 Sociolinguistics and forensic
linguistics
4.6.4. Nghiên cứu văn học

Note. Information contained in this syllabus is subject to change without notice. The instructor holds the right to make amendments to course
assignments and due dates. Students are expected to be aware of any additional course policies presented by the instructor during the course.