SUBJECT SYLLABUS

1. Course Identity
a. Course Name
b. Course Code
c. Credit hours
d. Semester
e. Course Category
f. Study Program/Program
g. Course status
h. Pre-requisite
i. Lecturer
Assistant Lecturer

: Language in Society
: EG302
: 2 credits
:6
: MKK
: English Language and Literature Program
: Compulsory
: None
: Prof. E. Aminudin Aziz, M.A., Ph.D.
: Dian Yuliana, M.Pd.

2. Course Objective
Upon the completion of the subject, the students are expected to a) have a solid
understanding of the basic principles of the study of Language in Society, b) be able to
analyse the phenomena of language used by the members of their societies and provide the
possible explanations accordingly.
3. Course Description
This subject will critically discuss the issues related to the aspects of variations of language
used by the members of societies in their day-to-day communication. The topics to be
discussed are divided into three main areas: multilingual speech communities, language
variations according to users, and language variations according to uses. The areas covered
in multilingual speech communities include language choice in multilingual communities,
language maintenance and shift, linguistic varieties and multilingual nations, national
languages and language planning. Meanwhile, the regional and social dialects, gender and
age, ethnicity and social networks, language change become the foci of topics on language
variations according to users. The last parts of discussions will be oriented on the topics of
style, context, and register, speech functions, politeness, and cross-cultural communication,
gender and stereotypes, language, cognition and culture, analysing discourse, and language
attitudes.
4. Learning Approaches
The class will be assigned to close-read the weekly topic from the prescribed textbook. To
indicate their understanding, they will be required to raise and map the fundamental issues
from the chapter for further discussions in the class with all members of the class, to be led
by the lecturers. Students participation in the class discussions will be assessed.
5. Assessment
Participation in Class Discussions
Two Chapter Reports of 1000-1500 words
One test
One mini project report of 2500-3000 words

15%
35% (15% and 20% respectively) to be
handwritten
30%
20% (group) submitted on week 12

To be able to sit in the tests and to allow for their final result to be published, the students
are required to meet a minimum of 80% of attendance of the total lectures (This is
normative!!! although exceptional circumstances will still be considered!). Please Note:
Late arrivals (i.e. 10 minutes after a lecture commences) will not be taken. Please bear in

mind that Marks A or A- will only be given to the students who, in addition to the points
obtained from other aspects of assesment, contribute at least FIVE mapping concepts in the
class discussions and/or active responses as comparisons to the mapping concepts
presented.
Notes on Mini Project Assignment
Students are required to conduct a survey on language variation phenomena of their own
interest and reported in a journal article format. The approximate number of words for this
report will be around 2500 3000 words. This assignment can be done as a group work,
consisting of 3-4 members. Each member will share the equal mark obtained for the work.
Contributions of each member have to be indicated clearly in the parts of the submitted
assignment. Following is the format of your report:
a. Title of Article
b. Authors, Affiliation (in this context, you must identify yourself as English Language and
Literature, Faculty of Language and Literature, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia),
followed by your active email addresses.
c. Abstract (not more than 200 words, in a block style, single space, 4-5 keywords)
d. Introduction.
e. Theoretical Framework.
f. Method of the Research: Subject, Design, Instrument, and Framework of Data Analysis
g. Findings and Discussions, presenting the findings of the research, discussed in
conjunction with the theoretical frameworks cited in section e.
h. Conclusion.
i. References.
In addition to the hard copy, each group is also required to submit the soft file of the mini
project assignment to dian.yuliana@upi.edu for plagiarism check.
Criteria for assessing students reports are as follows:
1. Students ability in reading the literature critically;
2. Students ability in connecting theories and practices;
3. Students understanding on research literature;
4. Students in deciding and designing research instrument(s) and carrying out research;
5. Students ability in interpreting data;
6. Students ability in developing arguments and drawing conclusions.
6. Policy on Plagiarism
It is no doubt that every piece of academic works will contain and use other people's ideas
and works for comparison and criticism. Therefore, such a usage, in the forms of direct or
indirect quotes must be explicitly stated. Otherwise, the author is liable for committing
plagiarism. Students will have to observe this policy to avoid penalty. In all assignments
submitted, the students will have to include a statement of plagiarism-free and submit the
soft-file version of each assignment in addition to the hard copy-- to dian.yuliana@upi.edu
for plagiarism check. Students whose assignment contains plagiarized work will
automatically fail the course.

7. Weekly syllabus

Weeks/
Dates
Week #1

Week #2

Week #3

Week #4

Week #5

Topics

Materials

Welcoming Remarks
Course outline and its requirements
Some basic concepts of the Study of Language in
Society
Upon the introduction to the course outline and
requirements, students will be introduced to the basic
concepts in the study of Language in Society, which
will in turn be learned during the course. These
include the differences of Sociolinguistics vs Sociology
of Language, Concepts of Variables (Individual-SocialGeographical), and Speech Communities.

Holmes, 2008: 1-16;

Wardhaugh, 2010: 1-22

Language Choice in Multilingual Communities

This chapter discusses the phenomena of language
use in multilungual communities, such as code choice,
factors affecting code choice, diglossia and code
switching.
Language Maintenance and Shift
This weeks discussion mainly focuses on the
phenomenon of language shift along with factors
contributing to this phenomenon. The potential
consequences of this phenomenon namely language
shift language death and language loss are also
discussed. Effort to prevent such consequences are
elaborated under the topics of language maintenance
and language revival.
Linguistic Varieties and Multilingual Nations
This chapter covers the discussion on issues pertaining
to linguistic varieties and multilingual nations such as
vernacular and standard languages. Other issues
covered in this chapter include lingua francas and
pidgins and creoles.
National Languages and Language Planning

Holmes, 2008: 19-51;

Wardaugh, 2010: 25-57

The main discussion of this chapter revolves around

the phenomena of national and official languages,
official status and minority languages. Other isues
discussed in this chapter are those related to language
planning -- the steps of which include selection,
codification, elaboration and securing its acceptance.
Examples of planning for national official language in
some multilingual nations are also given. The
discussion of this chapter is closed with linguists role

Holmes, 2008: 52-73

Holmes, 2008: 74-97;

Wardaugh, 2010: 88-118,
58-87 (on pidgins and
creoles)

Holmes, 2008: 98-123;

Wardaugh, 2010: 357-382

in language planning closes.

Week #6

Week #7

Week #8

Week #9

Week #10

Week #11

Week #12

Regional and Social Dialects

Different from the discussions in the previous
chapters which focus on issues of language use in
multilingual community, this chapter discusses issues
pertaining to language variations in monolingual
communities. The topic discussed is dialects in the
light of regional variation and social variation.
Gender and Age
This chapter discusses the interplay between language
use, gender and age. Other factors influencing
language use in this relation such as social class and
age-related language change are also discussed.
Ethnicity and Social Network
The main focus of this chapter is the influence of
ethnicity and social networks on language use. To
clarify the concept of the interplay between ethnicity
and language use, some examples of ethnicinfluenced varieties such as African American
Vernacular English and British Black English are
provided. The chapter also illustrates the concept of
how social networks influence language use using
data taken from the study of Milroy in 1980 on social
network.
Language Change
This chapter discusses the phenomenon of language
change that covers how the change takes place, how it
spreads and factors that cause the change. In
addition, the chapter also elaborates how language
change can be studied.
Style, Context, and Register
This chapter discusses how context influences ones
speech in terms of its degree of formality (style) and
word choice (register). The discussion on concepts
related to this issue such as accomodation theory and
the interplay between context, style and class is also
given.
Speech Functions, Politeness, and Cross-cultural
Communication
This chapter discusses how politeness determines
speech functions one uses in ones communication.
This chapter also shows how the concept of politeness
varies across culture and how this may influence
language use that can be seen from the speech
function realizations.
Gender, Politeness, and Stereotypes
This chapter explores the issue of womens language
that includes: 1) whether or not it is a distinct style or
register of a language; 2) whether or not women more

Holmes, 2008: 127-156;

Wardaugh, 2010: 135-161

Holmes, 2008: 157-182;

Wardaugh, 2010: 315-334
(on gender and language)

Holmes, 2008: 184-203;

Wardaugh, 2010: 119-132.

Holmes, 2008: 204-231;

Wardaugh, 2010: 191-218

Holmes, 2008: 233-269

Holmes, 2008: 270-295;

Wardaugh, 2010: 260-312

Holmes, 2008: 296-328;

Wardaugh, 2010: 315-334
(on gender and language)

polite than men; 3) how langugae is used to refer to

women and men; and 4) the message the language
used about women convey about their status in the
comunity
Mini project report due this week.
Week #13

Week #14

Language, Cognition, and Culture

This chapter discusses how language, cognition and
culture relate to each other. Sub topics covered in this
chapter includes language and perception, SapirWhorf hypothesis, and Grammar and Cognition.
Analysing Discourse
This chapter explores analysing discourse from various
perspectives such as pragmatics, etnography of
speaking, conversation analysis, and critical discourse
analysis.

Week #15

Language Attitudes and Applications

Holmes, 2008: 329-354;

Wardaugh, 2010: 221-241
(on Words and culture,
Whorfian hypothesis etc.)
Holmes, 2008: 363-404;
Wardaugh, 2010: 242-259
(on the Ethnography of
sepaking)

Holmes, 2008: 405-430

Aziz, 2015: 1- 18

This chapters main foci are on attitudes to language

and varieties of language and the social and
educational implications of the attitudes.
Week #16

Test Test Test

A comprehensive test will be given to assess students
understanding on what they have learned in the
course of Pragmatics.

8. References
Prescribed Textbook
Holmes, Janet. 2008. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Third Edition. Harlow, Essex:
Pearson Education.
Recommended textbooks
Baker, C. 1993. Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Chambers, J.K. 1995. Sosiolinguistic Theory. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Coulmas, F. (ed). 1997. The Handbook of Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Coulmas, F. 2005. Sosiolinguistics: the study of speakers' choices. Cambridge: CUP.
Fasold, R.W. 1984. The Sosiolinguistics of Society. Oxford: Blackwell.
Fasold, R.W. 1990. The Sociolinguistics of Language. Oxford: Blackwell.
Figueroa, E. 1994. Sociolinguistic Metatheory. Oxford: Pergamon.
Gumperz, J.J. (ed). 1982. Language and social identity. Cambridge: CUP.
Hudson, R.A. 1996. Sociolinguistics. 2nd edn. Cambridge: CUP.
Giglioli, P.P. (ed). Language and Social Context. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Education.
Kramsch, C. 1998. Language and culture. Oxford: OUP.

Romaine, S. 1994. Language in Society: an introduction to Sociolinguistics. Oxford: OUP.

Romaine, S. 1995. Bilingualism. 2nd edn. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Spolsky, B. 1998. Sociolinguistics. Oxford: OUP.
Wardhaugh, R. 2010. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. 6th edn. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.