Sociolinguistics of the Greater Middle East

4 credits · Undergraduate

The Middle East, Iran, and North Africa are home to a great number of languages and dialects, including many varieties of Arabic, as well as Persian, Kurdish, Hebrew, Aramaic, Berber and more. This course provides an introduction to the current status of these languages, their social settings, and relevant parts of their histories. Students will acquire a basic foundation in sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology as we explore how these languages change, struggle, and thrive. Knowledge of a language from the region (e.g. Arabic or Persian) will be helpful; no background in linguistics is required.