FALL 2009 MEETING TIME AND LOCATION
South Hall 1431, 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Alex Wahl
Office: 3432M South Hall
Office hours: T 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
alexander_r_wahl@umail.ucsb.edu
DESCRIPTION
African American English is the most widely studied variety of English as well as the most imitated, disparaged, and misunderstood. In this class we will discuss the reasons for linguists' and the general public's fascination with African American English, the debate over the variety's history, the details of its complex and systematic structure, and its use as an important resource in a wide range of important African American cultural and artistic forms, from religious practice to hip hop. We will also consider language ideologies that erroneously view African American English as simply "improper English" or "street slang," concluding with the ongoing political controversy over the use of African American English in educational settings.
Prerequisite: Linguistics 20, Linguistics 20A, or equivalent; graduate standing (for Linguistics 286); or permission of instructor.
Linguistics 136 fulfills a course requirement in the Language, Culture, Society major, the Sociocultural Linguistics emphasis, and the minor in sociocultural linguistics. Linguistics 286 provides graduate credit for graduate students and honors credit for students in the Honors Program.