Language and Society

Module code: ML1006

This module serves as an introduction to the complex yet fascinating study of language and society, also known as sociolinguistics. We will cover a range of topics including geographical variation in language, register and gender as well as language policy in multilingual contexts, Spanish around the world, languages of migrant communities, and language in the digital age. As this is a cross-departmental module, we will consider French, Italian, and Spanish-speaking contexts in our study of these themes. By the end of this module, we will be able to think critically about how language is used in its social context.

Topics covered

• Geographical variation
• Register in language
• Language and gender
• Language policy in multilingual contexts
• Spanish around the world
• Languages of migrant communities
• Language in the digital age