Assignments

For 12 May

Read pp.208–218 in the textbook. There will be a quiz on this reading at the start of class.

Please complete Writing Assignment #4, which must be submitted by 11:59pm on Sunday, 14 May:
Are you aware of any special pronunciations or other linguistic usages which seem to be ‘creeping in’ to the language? If you are, are they approved or disapproved? Does that approval (or disapproval) depend at all upon who is using the linguistic item in question?

Note that we will do a regular class session on Language Change II for the first half of class, then have our final review during the second half.

For 5 May

1. Do Writing Assignment #3:
How would you try to place individuals according to their social position in the community in which you live? What factors would you consider to be relevant, and how would you weight each? What class designations would seem appropriate? Where would you place yourself? What aspects of your language usage do you think follow from your class membership, rather than some other regional or social affiliation?
2. Please read pp. 191–207 in the textbook. There will be a quiz at the start of class.

For 17 March

  1. Class on the 17th will be dedicated to our midterm review, so there is no reading assignment. Instead, review the prior readings.
  2. Submit Writing Assignment #2 by 11:59pm:
    Choose a country. Try to determine in what respects it contains a single speech community, and in what respects it contains a complex of intersecting speech communities. 400 words, double spaced. Cite your sources in whatever citation format you like.