AFAS 330 - Topics in Linguistics: The American Languages

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

Our perceptions about language are shaped by our linguistic backgrounds and practices as well as our social and political ideologies. This course examines the history of American languages in the United States and explores the social, educational, and political issues that surround them. Four types of languages are studied: Native American, colonial, immigrant, and new languages (e.g., Hawaiian Pidgin and American Sign Language). We also take a special look at the history and structure of African-American Language, which challenges linguistic categorizations as well as language policy and education. Among the major questions discussed in this course are: what makes American languages distinct in terms of their history and social status; and what do they all have in common beyond the simple geographic classification of being "American." In addressing these questions we also study the politics of language, the history of language policy and education in the U.S. as well as issues of current debate, such as indigenous language reclamation, the "Ebonics controversy," bilingual education, and the official English movement.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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