Diversity in American Languages

This course provides an overview of the history, structure, and diversity of languages in the United States, focusing on four categories: indigenous, colonial, immigrant, and new languages. It explores how these languages reflect and constitute cultural identity, and the ways in which they are shaped by social, political, and educational factors. The course includes topics like Native American languages, African American English, and American English dialects, including the dialects of New England, and critically examines the connections between language, race, power, and privilege. This is an introductory course and no prior linguistics training is required.