This course will focus on the social aspects of language variation. The first half of the course will be devoted to a detailed discussion of some of the central issues in so-called Labovian sociolinguistics/microsociolinguistics. During the second half of the course the focus will be on a number of sociolinguistic topics including language and ethnicity, language, sex, and gender, language contact and language change.

A reading list will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Course work includes weekly sessions, background reading, oral presentation in the class, and a final essay.