ENGL 31106 P Social Linguistics (2913)
English Department, City College of New York
Professor Barbara Gleason
Graduate Student Teacher: Ayse Keskin Saglam
Tuesday/Thursday 2-3:15pm
Classroom: NAC 7/225
Professor's Office: NAC 6/333a
Office Hours: 1-2pm & 5-6pm T/Th E-mail:bgleason@ccny.
Ayse Keskin Saglam's email: A.Saglam@gmx.de
Course Requirement: All enrolled students must activate their CCNY email
accounts and check their CCNY email regularly. CCNY email can be
forwarded to another email account.
Course Description:
Throughout the semester, we will explore issues in language study that are important for English and English education majors. Students will learn about the difference between a prescriptive and descriptive approach to English grammar, American English dialects, lexicography (descriptive study of words), morphology (analytical study of word forms), English syntax, and the history
of the English language.
Class activities will include lecture, discussion, viewing videos on
American dialects, learning games, quizzes and exams. Homework
will include reading and writing assignments, quizzes and
take-home exams.
Textbook: How English Works: A Linguistic Introduction, 2nd edition
by Anne Curzan and Michael Adams (Pearson Longman, 2009).
Course Learning Outcomes:
After successfully completing this course, a student will be able to
1. define key terms associated with language study, e.g., "syntax,"
"morphology," "prescriptive approach to English grammar," "dialect," "lexicography,
2. describe key differences between human language and animal
communication systems;
3. identify and describe various English dictionaries and usage books;
4. identify "parts of speech" or, as they are referred to by
5. analyze phrase structures in English sentences (i.e., identify parts of a sentence as subject, verb, direct object, subjective complement and so on);
6. describe key features of American English in the North, South and West;
7. describe specific structural components of conversations
in American English, e.g., turn-taking rules, politeness and face.
Course Grade: Components & Weights
Exam #1 25%
Exam #2 25%
Exam #3 25%
Exams will entail defining terms, explaining concepts, analyzing language problems, summarizing key arguments, and writing short essays about language issues.
Quizzes & Homework 20%
"Participation" includes being present at all or nearly all of our class meetings and being punctual, submitting all assigned word on or before the due date, being prepared for all class meetings, contributing to class discussions, participating in on-line discussions on a course blog. All of these activities will factor into the participation grade.
Course Policies:
1. Final course grades will be awarded from a scale that runs from A+ to F. An
INC grade will not be awarded except in the event of a serious illness or emergency
that occurs after April 11 (last day to withdraw officially). Even then, the INC grade will be awarded only if the student is passing the course with a grade of C or higher and has submitted all assignments, quizzes and exams on due dates prior to April 11th. An INC grade will be awarded only if Professor Gleason determines that the illness or emergency merits an INC grade.
2. Students are required to check CCNY email for Blackboard announcements each week and to check Blackboard weekly for newly posted course documents & informational bulletins (which will be sent to students' CCNY e-mail accounts). This is especially important for students who are absent from class for any reason.
3. Students will be accountable for knowing about all course content discussed in every class and for obtaining all course documents. Professor Gleason will post all course documents on our CCNY on-line Blackboard. Students should contact Prof. Gleason by email or visit her during her office hours to learn about lessons in classes that a student has missed due to absence.
4. Class attendance is mandatory. All students are responsible for making sure they have signed the attendance sheet at each class meeting. Lateness to class will be recorded when a student arrives more than 15 minutes late. Two late arrivals of 15 minutes or more will count as one class absence. Students may not be absent from a class more than four times for any reason and still pass the course. See CCNY 2009-2011 Undergraduate Bulletin for college-wide policy on class attendance.
5. A student can miss ONE in-class quiz due to an absence (for any reason) without a grade penalty. All additional quizzes that are not taken due to a student's absence will be recorded as zero points.
6. Each student must take each exam on the official exam date(s). Opportunities for make-up exams will only be provided when a student has been ill and provides appropriate documentation from a physician whose address and phone number are provided for verification.
Protocols for Class Meetings:
A. Students are expected to be in the classroom at when class begins at 3:30pm and to remain in the classroom until 4:45pm.
B. All electronic devices must be turned off and put away during class meetings. This includes computers, cell phones, I-Pods, beepers and all other electronic equipment. On special occasions, students might be asked to check the internet for information pertaining to a particular class discussion.
C. Eating during class is not permitted. However, students may bring drinks to class. All empty drink containers and papers must be removed from the classroom at the end of each class.
D. Students may not leave and re-enter the classroom while class is in session. Restroom breaks, texting, & phone calls should occur only before/after class.
The CUNY Policy on Academic Int egrity can be read at this site:
http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/
An abbreviated version of this policy is quoted below:
Academic Dishonesty is prohibited by the City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion, as provided . . . [in the full text of the policy].
Cheating is the unauthorized use or attempted use of material, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise.
The following are some examples of cheating:
• Copying from another student during an exam or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Unauthorized collaboration on a take-home assignment or examination.
• Using notes during a closed-book exam.
• Allowing others to research or write assigned papers or do assigned projects, including use of commercial term paper services.
• Submitting someone else's work as your own.
Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person's ideas, research, or writing as your own. The following are some examples of plagiarism but by no means an exhaustive list.
• Copying another person's actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source.
• Presenting another person's ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source.
• Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source.
• Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.
Schedule of Class Meetings, Assignments, Quizzes and Exams
2/1 In Class: Introduction to Course and Distribution of Syllabus
Homework: Purchase your textbook for our course and bring it to
class every week. You can purchase your textbook on-line
or in the CCNY Bookstore. If you purchase it online, you must request
an expedited delivery of 2 to 3 days.
Homework: Write a Formal Letter to Professor Gleason
Format your letter as you would any formal letter: go to this web site
for a model of a "Friendly Letter Format":
http://www.
Length: 400 - 600 words
Submission Guidelines:
Bring a copy of your letter to submit in class on Thursday 2/3.
Submit your letter by email to bgleason6@gmail.com on Thursday 2/3.
How this letter will count toward your grade: You will earn25 points
for class participation for successful, on-time completion of this writing
assignment. It counts as "homework." It will NOT be graded but you should
present a letter that is carefully written and edited to receive full credit.
The purpose of your letter is for you to inform me (Professor Gleason) about your interests and goals as an undergraduate college student enrolled in ENGL 31106 Social Linguistics. You can assume that I'm really interested in what you
have to say, because it's true: I am interested.
Why did you choose to enroll in this course?
Have you studied language or grammar in a previous course or on your own?
How does this course fit into your overall educational goals and learning as an
How might your learning in Social Linguistics be helpful to you in the future?
What would you like to tell me about your current academic major and minor,
your future educational goals, and your future professional goals?
2/3 Introduction to Dialect Studies:
View Do You Speak American?: Up North
Homework: Read the information on dialects on the Center for Applied Linguistics web site: http://www.cal.org/topics/
Read info. on Do You Speak American on the CAL web site: http://www.cal.org/
Browse this CAL web site and be prepared to discuss your findings on 2/8:
http://memory.loc.gov/
2/8 In class, students will write their responses to the video that we viewed in class on 2/8. These responses will be collected and will count towards the Class Participation Grade. Each student may earn up to 10 points for a
Class Discussion: We will discuss your reactions to Do You Speak American?
Up North in class today.
Class Discussion: We will discuss the information that you have read on dialect, on the Do You Speak American project, and on a collection of
Homework: Read "Ch. 12 American Dialects" (401-442) in How English Works. Bring How English Works to class on 2/10 and for every class
2/10 Class Discussion: We will discuss topics in "Ch. 12 American Dialects."
Homework for 2/15: Read and take notes on "Ch. 3 English Phonology."
Review "Ch. 12 American Dialects" for quiz on 2/15.
2/15 Quiz on topics in "Ch. 12 American Dialects." (20 pts.)
Continue discussion of topics in "Ch. 12 American Dialects."
Lecture & Discussion: Introduction to English Phonetics
Homework: Read "Ch. 1 A Language Like English" in HEW (1-34)
Homework: Read Exercise 1.1 Sense and Nonsense (31-32). Then, write two extra stanzas for the poem "Jabberwocky." Bring your homework to submit in class on 2/17. This homework assignment carries 10 points toward Quizzes and Homework.
2/17 Students will read their "Jabberwocky" stanzas to each other in small groups.
We will discuss this writing exercise as a whole class.
We will discuss topics addressed in "Ch. 1 A Language Like English."
Study for the in-class quiz on "Ch. 1 A Language Like English" and bring
your textbook to class on 2/22.
2/22 In-Class Quiz on topics addressed in "Ch. 1 A Language Like English." (20 pts.)
This quiz will be an open-book quiz; however, you will have a limited
time frame to answer the questions, so study the chapter carefully
If you forget to bring your book to class, you will take this quiz use of a t textbook.
Homework: Read HEW "Ch. 2 Language & Authority" (35-66)
Be sure to bring your textbook to class on 2/24.
2/24 During the first 15 minutes of class, there will be a short writing assignment.
In your own words, you will write an explanation of the prescriptive approach and the descriptive approach to English grammar. You will be asked to share
your answers in small groups and then with the class as a whole. Your
writing will not be collected. This exercise is practice for the next exam.
We will discuss your responses to the question of a prescriptive vs.
a descriptive approach to English grammar and other topics addressed
in "Ch. 2 Language and Authority (35-66).
Continue discussing topics in HEW "Ch. 2 Language & Authority."
Review topic in Chs. 12, 1 and 2 for first exam.
3/1 Review topics in Chapters 12, 1, 2 and 3 to prepare for
Exam #1. Our review might take the form of a game.
Exam #1 will be posted on our Blackboard.
Email your exam to bgleason6@gmail.com by 12noon on 3/3.
Write your answers onto the Word document with the exam
questions. Bring a hard copy of your printed exam to class
on 3/3. All exams emailed after 12 noon on 3/3 will
be considered LATE and the grade will be penalized by 1
letter grade. Any student who comes to class without a copy of
Exam #1 on 3/3 will complete the exam during class on 3/3 or
on the next class that the student attends. The time limit will be
one hour and 15 minutes.
3/3 All students will submit a print copy of Exam #1 today.
We will view a video in class today:
Do You Speak American? Down South
Homework:
Students will write a one-page response to Do You Speak American?
Down South. (10 pts.) Can be hand-written or typed. Due 3/8.
3/8 Time Management Workshop: Presented by Staff from the Wellness
and Counseling Office.
Read HEW "Ch. 11 Language Variation" (366-400)
3/10 Class Discussion: "Ch. 11 Language Variation"
Quiz: Language Variation, closed book (10 points)
Students' written responses to the documentary video
Do You Speak American? Down South will be distributed in
class today. Students will be asked to read their responses.
Review answers to quiz questions in class today and continue
discussion of topics in "Ch. 11 Language Variation."
During Class:
Write summary notes on your reading of "Ch. 11 Language
Variation." Write down two quotes of passages that interest
you for any reason. The quotes can be one sentence, two sentences,
or 3 sentences. Then write your reaction to the ideas in that quote.
What questions come to mind? What is surprising? What did you
discover from reading this passage? What's your reaction as a learner?
Write a one-paragraph response to each of 2 quotes from Ch. 11.
Your writing will be used for discussion and for your own study notes.
Homework: Read HEW "Ch. 4 English Morphology."
3/15 If needed, we will continue discussion of students' quotes and reactions to topics in "Ch. 11 Language Variation."
Lecture: Introduction to topics in "Ch. 4 English Morphology" (104-133).
Review: HEW "Ch. 4 English Morphology."
3/17 Discuss issues pertaining to morphology in class today.
Homework: Re-read HEW "Ch. 4 English Morphology" and write summary notes on this chapter. Write quotes and paraphrases of key points of
information.
3/22 In-class activity: students will practice identifying parts of words
and types of word formation in class today.
Game: Groups of students will compete at answering questions
that pertain to morphology in class today.
Homework: Read HEW "Ch. 5 English Syntax: The Grammar of Words"
(134-170).
3/24 Quiz: On "Ch. 4 English Morphology" (20 pts.) (open book)
Introduction to English Syntax: Lecture and Class Discussion
Homework: Review HEW "Ch. 5 English Syntax . . . "
3/29 Quiz: On parts of speech and topics in Ch. 5. (20 points)
Review English syntax topics in class today.
Study Chapters 11, 4 and 5 for Exam #2
3/31 Review Game: In groups, students will respond to questions related to
topics in Chapters 11, 4 and 5 of HEW.
4/5 Exam Workshop: Optional Students who want help with
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