Sociolinguistics, language, thought, and culture.

whorf cartoon

 

  Topic Activities
1 What is language? Linguistics?

Sociolinguistics?

  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: What is color is this?
  • DO: ask study hall and chart by age/gender/art electives. Discuss findings.
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: what are some new words that were created during your lifetime?
  • VIDEO: Science of studying language
2 Non Human Communication
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: what are the ways animals communicate?
  • AFD: 221-224
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: What are the differences between human and animal communication?
  • AHD: 312-316
  • AFD: 224-226
  • DO: team game – how many similes and metaphors can you come up with
  • VIDEO: Washoe and Koko koko is sad koko kittens
3 Characteristics and structure of human language
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: what do you think are the characteristics of human language?
  • AFD: 227-230
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: what do you find to be hardest about learning a foreign language?
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: what would make learning a foreign language easier?
  • AFD: 230-233
  • AHD:317-318
  • VIDEO: tour of American accents
4 Language and Thought and Culture
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: what does language have to do with thinking?
  • AHD: 318-320
  • VIDEO: Language shapes culture
  • IT’S OK TO BE WRONG: why would people talking in different ways at different times to different people?
  • DO: come up with examples of code switching in your own life
  • VIDEO: key and peele 2
5 Sociolinguistics
6 Black English Vernacular
  • AHD: 326-328
  • DO: Debate – is BEV a language or not
  • TS: 10
7 Historical Linguistics
8 Bringing it all together
9 Test Prep
  • QUIZLET:
  • Finish handout and ask questions
10 Test
  • Show me what you understand!
  • DO: relax! That theoretical stuff is hard! Play anthropology Pictionary.