Introduction to Sociolinguistics

This course is an introduction to sociolinguistic theory and its application to the Spanish language of Spain and Latin America. Besides the history and basic concepts of the discipline (especially that of the language change), we will mainly describe diastratic (linguistic variety characterized by socio-cultural status of the speaker) and diaphasic (the varieties used depending on the particular communicative situation; it deals with the use of different registers depending on the formal or colloquial context) varieties. We will especially deep in the variables of age, sex, and socio-economic level. Above all, we will pull up on the methodology of research in this area (collection techniques and interpretation of the data). Finally, we will study Spanish contacts with other languages (bilingualism, diglossia, pidgins, creole languages). (1 unit)

Required Text: Carmen Silva-Corvalán, Sociolingüística y pragmática del español (Washington: Georgetown UP, 2001).