Language in the USA
Course No.: LIN 200 Old Chemistry 116 Time:Tues/Thurs 3:50-5:10 PM Instructor: Julie Weisenberg Office: SBS S-217 Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 2-3:30p or by appointment E-mail: jweisenberg@notes.cc.sunysb.edu Ph: 631-632-7779 Teaching Assistants: Chih-hsiang Shu email: braininvat@hotmail.com Ellen (“Nell”) Guigelaar email: guigelaar@gmail.com Poppy Slocum email: poppyslo@gmail.com *or contact your TAs for additional appointment times
Office Hrs: Mon 10:00-11:30a Office Hrs: Wed 4:00 - 5:30 Office Hrs: Mon 1:00-2:30p
Course Description: What is the role of language in the transformation of ethnicity in the US? This course introduces students to the diversity of experiences with English and native or immigrant languages that has shaped individual and group identities and had a significant impact on the cultural, educational, and political fabric of the nation. We study the language histories of the principal ethnic and racialized groups in the U.S., with particular attention to intra-group differences and inter-group comparisons, to understand how particular languages, dialects, and ways of speaking are involved in the construction of privileged or stigmatized identities. In particular, we address the assumption that "the language problem" is at the root of many of our nation's ethnic tensions, and we discuss the repercussions of personal and institutionalized responses to the increasing linguistic and ethnic heterogeneity. Important themes include the implications of linguistic discrimination for the survival of minority languages and cultures, the educational success of children, equity in the workplace, and inter-racial/ethnic conflict. Required Texts: 1) Language in the USA: Themes for the twenty-first Century. Edited by Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford. (2004). Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 052177747 2) English with an Accent. Rosina Lippi-Green. (1997) Routledge. ISBN: 0415114772 3) Additional readings are available on Blackboard. Grading: Attendance: Quizzes: Homework:
A = 94% and up C = 73 – 75% A- = 90 – 93% C- = 70 – 72% B+ = 86 – 89% D+ = 66 – 69% B = 83 – 85% D = 63 – 65% C+ = 76 – 79% D- = 60 – 62% F= 59% or below
10% 20% 20%
Midterm Exam 20% Final exam: 30%
Administrative: All students will be assigned to one "primary" TA. All questions and comments regarding your homework and quizzes should be addressed to your primary TA. All homework can be collected from your primary TA. You should attend office hours of your primary TA only unless you make arrangements yourself.
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There are no make-up quizzes, tests or homework assignments. If you are absent for a quiz, a test or an assignment, please do not request a make-up. It is simply not feasible with a class of this size. No late assignments will be accepted. Class Rules: Show respect to the other members of class: Turn off all cell phones during class; come to class on time and prepared to discuss the readings; do not talk while the professor or other students are addressing the class. Blackboard: We will be using Blackboard during this course. Students will be responsible for learning to use Blackboard and for checking it regularly for course announcements/assignments. Access to our class's on-line Blackboard site: You can access class information on-line at: http://blackboard.sunysb.edu. To log into Blackboard, you will need your Net ID username and a password. To find out and set your Net ID Password, you will need to log into SOLAR. For help or more information see: http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/helpdesk/bb.shtml. For problems logging in, you can call: 631-632-9602 or e-mail: helpme@ic.sunysb.edu
Disability Support Services: If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Disability Support Services,128 ECC Building (631) 632-6748. They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential. Students who require assistance during emergency evacuation are encouraged to discuss their needs with their professors and Disability Support Services. For procedures and information, see the following website: http://www.ehs.sunysb.edu and search Fire safety and Evacuation and Disabilities. Student Conduct: “The University at Stony Brook expects students to maintain standards of personal integrity that are in harmony with the educational goals of the institution; to observe national, state, and local laws and University regulations; and to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other people. Faculty is required to report disruptive behavior that interrupts faculty’s ability to teach, the safety of the learning environment, and/or students’ ability to learn to Judicial Affairs.” Plagiarism is simply the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. As students, you are learning about other people’s ideas in your course texts, your instructors’ lectures, in-class discussions, and when doing your own research. When you incorporate those words and ideas into your own work, it is of the utmost importance that you give credit where it is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is considered academic dishonesty and all instances will be reported to the Academic Judiciary. To avoid plagiarism, you must give the original author credit whenever you use another person’s ideas, opinions, drawings, or theories as well as any facts or any other pieces of information that are not common knowledge. Additionally quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words; or a close paraphrasing of another person’s spoken or written words must also be referenced. Accurately citing all sources and putting direct quotations – of even a few key words – in quotation marks are required. For further information on plagiarism and the policies regarding academic dishonesty go to the Academic Judiciary website at http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/CAS/ajc.nsf.
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Course Schedule: (subject to change/revision): complete all reading assignments prior to class. Week 1 27-Jan 29-Jan Course Overview; requirements, grading, readings, topics covered Language and Ethnicity Finegan & Rickford Forward pp. xiii-xvi; Ch. 1, pp. 3- 16. American English: history and origins Finegan & Rickford Ch. 2, pp. 18 -37 American English: Northern varieties Finegan & Rickford pp. Ch. 3, 39-56 American English: Southern varieties Rosina Lippi-Green. (1997) “Hillbillies, rednecks, and southern belles” In English with an Accent. Routledge. Pp. 202-216. American English: Social Varieties Finegan & Rickford Ch. 4, pp. 58-75. African American English: origins and features; vocabulary and pronunciation Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 5, pp. 76-91. African American English: Lexicon and Grammar Finegan & Rickford Ch. 16, pp. 305-318. The Ebonics Controversy 1. Rosina Lippi-Green. (1997) “The real trouble with Black English” In English with an Accent. Pp. 176-201. 2. If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is? By JAMES BALDWIN (on Blackboard) Creole English: Gullah, Louisiana Creole English, Hawai’ian Creole English Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 8, pp. 133-150. Deaf Culture: American Sign Language Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 12, pp. 230-244. “A Town for the Deaf “ (on Blackboard)
Week 2
3-Feb
5-Feb
Week 3
10-Feb
12-Feb
Week 4
17-Feb
19-Feb
Week 5
24-Feb
26-Feb
Week 6
3March
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5March
American Sign Language: “Russian-Deaf Experience” Continued…Guest Speaker: Dmitri Kolmogorov (Film) Deaf Culture: American Sign Language – (film and discussion)
Week 7
10March 12March
MIDTERM EXAM
Latino Language and Culture: Puerto Ricans/ Boricuas/Nuyoricans Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 10, pp. 182-204. Latino Language and Culture: Chicanos/Mexicans/Mexican Americans Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 11, pp. 205-229. Mock Spanish Jane H. Hill. 1995. “Language, Race, and White Public Space.” American Anthropologist, v. 100 no3 p. 680-9 S ’98. (On Blackboard) Native American Language and Culture: Mohawk, Algonquin, Cherokee Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 9, pp. 153-167. Native American Language and Culture: California Native American Languages; Apache communicative practices (Poppy Slocum) Finegan & Rickford, in Ch. 9, pp. 167-179. Native American Languages and Culture (continued) Arab American Language and Culture: (Guest Speaker: Mark Lindsay) Reading “Arabs in America” (on Blackboard) Asian American Language and Culture Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 13, pp. 245-257 Asian American Language and Culture (*Chih-hsiang Shu) Rosina Lippi-Green. (1997) “The Stranger Within The Gates” In English with an Accent. pp. 217-239. AND Finegan & Rickford pp. 257-264. The Language of Hip Hop Culture Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 21, pp. 387-409.
Week 8
17March 19March
Week 9
24March
26March Week 10 31March
2-April Week 11 April 14 April 16 Week 12 April 21
April 23
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Week 13
28April 30April
Language and Gender: Do men and women speak differently? Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 22, pp. 410-429. Language Planning and Policy in the U.S. Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 17, pp. 319-338. Language Planning and Policy in the U.S. Finegan & Rickford, Ch. 18, pp. 339-360. Language Ideologies: Looking at language ideologies in film Rosina Lippi-Green. (1997) “Teaching Children How to Discriminate” In English with an Accent. Pp. 79-103. FINAL EXAM - Thurs May 14 5:00-7:30p (in our regular classroom)
Week 14
5-May
7-May
FINAL
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