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Language, Society and Culture (LING20010)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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As part of the University’s response to COVID-19 and the associated Government restrictions and guidelines, most subjects will continue to be delivered online in Winter and Semester 2.
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
You’re currently viewing the 2020 version of this subject

Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.

Overview

Availability
Semester 2
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This subject examines how social and cultural factors influence language, and the role language plays in structuring and representing social categories across cultures. It examines how society and language shape each other: how language represents and enables social interaction, and how social interaction influences the form of language. Specific topics to be covered include socially determined variation in language styles and registers, language varieties reflecting social class, gender and ethnic group. It also examines factors affecting language choice such as, bi- and multi-lingualism, and factors of language contact and change.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should:




  • have attained in-depth knowledge of how social factors influence language;
  • have engaged with debates around sociolinguistic research methodology;
  • have deepened their understanding of social and cultural diversity through problematising language use across different social and cultural practices;
  • have broadened and applied research skills utilising a variety of primary and electronic sources, and developed awareness of intellectual integrity and research ethics in sociolinguistic research;
  • have further honed writing abilities across a variety of text types and multimodal presentation skills;
  • have participated in individual and group-based data-related activities within and outside the classroom.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should:

  • have developed the ability to form judgments from conflicting evidence;
  • have developed an openness to new ideas and possibilities;
  • have improved their oral and written communication skills;
  • have developed their ability to step outside their own language and culture.

Last updated: 8 August 2023

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 8 August 2023

Assessment

Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Review of research article

Week 530%

Test

Week 920%

Major project

During the examination period40%

Participation and engagement

Throughout the semester10%
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.Throughout the teaching periodN/A

Additional details

Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.

Last updated: 8 August 2023

Dates & times

  • Semester 2
    Principal coordinatorBarbara Kelly
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours34 hours: 2 x 1 hour lectures and 1 x 1 hour tutorial per week. There will be no tutorials in the first and last weeks of semester.
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020
    Last self-enrol date14 August 2020
    Census date21 September 2020
    Last date to withdraw without fail16 October 2020
    Assessment period ends27 November 2020

    Semester 2 contact information

    b.kelly@unimelb.edu.au

Time commitment details

170 hours

Additional delivery details

It is recommended that students have some familiarity with the IPA and basic linguistic concepts prior to enrolling into this subject. Contact the lecturer for recommended reading if you have no linguistics background.

Last updated: 8 August 2023

Further information

Last updated: 8 August 2023