INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN LINGUISTIC PRACTICES
An introduction to various approaches to studying African languages in societal context from the perspective of experts in sociolinguistics, linguistic ethnography, and language pedagogy. Topics covered will include multilingualism, codeswitching, codemixing, translanguaging, language invention/disinvention, interactional practices, discourse analysis, language and politics, language and identity, language in education, language, gender, and sexuality, language and the media, language choice in literature and film, language and popular culture, translation, and language learning.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Humanities or Social Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Learning Outcomes: 1. Recognize major African languages and where they are spoken, and the relationship between languages and ethnic groups. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Demonstrate their understanding of major theories, approaches, concepts, and current and classical research findings in African sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Develop a level of proficiency in the different “ways of knowing” Africa and the diaspora through languages and cultures. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Communicate effectively through essays, oral presentations, and discussion, so they may share their knowledge, wisdom, and values with others across social and professional settings. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Show knowledge of conventional rhetorical strategies, and integrate research by other authors while distinguishing between their own ideas and those of others. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Write and speak across disciplinary boundaries with regard to existing research about African languages. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Demonstrate command of the terminology of sociolinguistics. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Recognize major African languages and where they are spoken, and the relationship between languages and ethnic groups. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Demonstrate their understanding of major theories, approaches, concepts, and current and classical research findings in African sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Develop a level of proficiency in the different “ways of knowing” Africa and the diaspora through languages and cultures. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Communicate effectively through essays, oral presentations, and discussion, so they may share their knowledge, wisdom, and values with others across social and professional settings. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Show knowledge of conventional rhetorical strategies, and integrate research by other authors while distinguishing between their own ideas and those of others. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Write and speak across disciplinary boundaries with regard to existing research about African languages. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Demonstrate command of the terminology of sociolinguistics. Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027